“The Only Democracy in the Middle East” Israel Orders the Shut Down of Al Jazeera Offices in East Jerusalem

Israel’s Assault on Press Freedom: The Closure of Al Jazeera Undermines Its Democratic Credentials

Photo by Levi Meir Clancy on Unsplash

Israel’s decision to shut down the offices of the Al Jazeera news network within its borders is a troubling assault on press freedom and a blow to its claims of being the “only democracy in the Middle East.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet unanimously voted to revoke Al Jazeera’s media credentials, ban the network’s broadcasts, and block its websites — a move the Qatari-based broadcaster condemned as a “criminal act” that violates the public’s right to information.

Netanyahu justified the decision by accusing Al Jazeera of “incitement,” but the real motivation appears to be the network’s critical coverage of Israel’s actions in the ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza. Al Jazeera has been one of the few media outlets to maintain a presence in Gaza and report on the civilian…