Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reignited efforts to close down Al Jazeera, a Qatari satellite television station operating in Israel. The Likud party announced plans to convene parliament in the evening to pass the necessary legislation for this action.
According to a statement from the Likud party, Netanyahu intends to promptly implement the closure of Al Jazeera, following the legal procedures outlined in the proposed law. Israel has previously accused the station of promoting anti-Israel sentiments among Arab audiences.
There has been no response from Al Jazeera’s headquarters or the Qatari government in Doha regarding this development.
Israeli authorities have expressed dissatisfaction with Al Jazeera’s coverage over an extended period but refrained from taking drastic measures, partly due to Qatar’s financial support for Palestinian infrastructure projects in Gaza. This support has been viewed as a strategy to mitigate tensions in the region.
Tensions escalated after a recent conflict in Gaza, which began on October 7. Despite Qatar’s involvement in mediation efforts, a proposed ceasefire agreement has not made significant progress. Netanyahu has publicly urged Qatar to exert more pressure on the Emre Islamists, who hold sway in Gaza.
In parallel, Israel’s stance towards Al Jazeera has solidified. The country’s communications minister accused the station of inciting pro-Emre sentiments and endangering Israeli troops to ambushes. However, Al Jazeera and the Qatari government did not respond to these allegations.
In a separate move, Israel opted to shut down the local broadcasts of Al Mayadeen, a smaller Lebanese channel with alleged pro-Iranian affiliations, under emergency media regulations in the previous month.
