"Targeting Journalists Is A Crime": Al Jazeera On Israel’s Decision To Shut Down Its Operations (Image: aljazeera.com)

The Israeli cabinet, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has voted to close Doha-based media house Al Jazeera“s operations within the country, sparking condemnation from the Qatar-based broadcaster.

The move, which also includes withdrawing crew accreditations and banning media service providers from transmitting Al Jazeera broadcasts, comes amidst heightened tensions in the region following the Gaza war.

Al Jazeera Media Network swiftly issued a statement, denouncing the decision as a violation of press freedom and human rights. “In a deceptive and slanderous move, the Israeli Cabinet… unanimously voted to shut down Al Jazeera”s offices in Israel,” the statement read.

The network asserted its right to provide news and information to its global audiences, despite the Israeli government”s attempts to impede its operations. Al Jazeera condemned Israel”s ongoing suppression of the free press, labelling it as a violation of international and humanitarian law.

The statement highlighted Israel”s targeting and killing of journalists, arrests, intimidation, and threats, as efforts to obstruct press freedom. Al Jazeera reaffirmed its commitment to professional media standards and vowed to pursue legal avenues to protect its rights and journalists” safety.

“Targeting journalists is a crime,” Al Jazeera emphasized, calling on media freedom and human rights organizations to condemn such actions and hold those responsible to account.

Here is the full statement from Al Jazeera:

In a deceptive and slanderous move, the Israeli Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, unanimously voted to shut down Al Jazeera”s offices in Israel. They also chose to withdraw crew accreditations, as well as banning media service providers from transmitting its broadcasts and blocking Al Jazeera Media Network websites.

Ironically as the world marked World Press Freedom Day; the Israeli government closed Al Jazeera”s offices, preventing the public from accessing its content, disregarding the universally recognised fundamentals of freedom of expression.

Al Jazeera Media Network strongly condemns and denounces this criminal act that violates human rights and the basic right to access of information. Al Jazeera affirms its right to continue to provide news and information to its global audiences.

Israel”s ongoing suppression of the free press, seen as an effort to conceal its actions in the Gaza Strip, stands in contravention of international and humanitarian law. Israel”s direct targeting and killing of journalists, arrests, intimidation and threats will not deter Al Jazeera from its commitment to cover, whilst more than 140 Palestinian journalists have been killed since the beginning of the war on Gaza.

The Network vehemently rejects the allegations presented by Israeli authorities suggesting professional media standards have been violated. It reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the values embodied by its Code of Ethics.

Al Jazeera urges all media freedom, human rights, and other concerned organisations, to condemn the repeated attacks on journalists and the press by Israel, and to hold those responsible to account. The Network will pursue all available legal channels through international legal institutions in its quest to protect both its rights and journalists, as well as the public”s right to information.

“Targeting journalists is a crime.”