World Jewish News

Israeli government to close the Al Jazeera office in Jerusalem

The Israeli government has decided to look into closing the Jerusalem bureau of the Al Jazeera channel. The decision was taken in response to what it claims was the network’s incitement of violence during the recent Temple Mount crisis.

Israel is following in the lead of a number of other states in the region that closed the offices of the Qatar-based channe including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

On Sunday, Reuters reported that Israeli Communications Minister Ayoob Kara had decided to close the station for “supporting terrorism” and that he will “revoke press credentials of Al-Jazeera TV journalists, close their Jerusalem bureau and pull the Qatar-based station’s broadcasts from local cable and satellite providers.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Kara’s decision.

‘’I congratulate Minister of Communications Ayoob Kara,” Netanyahu tweeted on Sunday, “who, in accordance with my instructions, took practical steps today to stop Al-Jazeera‘s incitement in Israel.”

EJP