Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 07-08-2017
Israel has indicated that it intends to revoke media credentials of Al Jazeera journalists and close the network’s office in Jerusalem.
The announcement was made by the country’s communication minister Ayoub Kara during a press conference in Jerusalem yesterday where Al Jazeera was also barred from attending.
Kara says he expects Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, to consider his request in the next session.
He says the decision was based on the move by Sunni Arab state to close the Al Jazeera offices prohibiting their work.
“I will go through the [legislatorial] mechanism to create the authority in which I can act freely. We will try to end it as quickly as possible.”
Kara says the channel is being used by groups to “incite” violence – an accusation Al Jazeera has denied.
In a statement, the Doha-based media network denounced the measures from a country it says claims to be “the only democracy in the Middle East”.
“Al Jazeera stresses that it will closely watch the developments that may result from the Israeli decision, and will take the necessary legal measures towards it.”
Al Jazeera has also denied charges its coverage of al-Aqsa Mosque unrest was unprofessional.
“Al Jazeera will continue to cover the events of the occupied Palestinian territories professionally and accurately, according to the standards set by international agencies, such as the UK Office of Communications (Ofcom).”
Al Jazeera’s offices in the Palestinian territories of Gaza and the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah would not be affected by the current Israeli move.
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