Israeli minister wants Al Jazeera’s offices in Jerusalem closed
Communications Minister Ayoub Kara said he wants credentials of the network’s journalists to be revoked.
Israel’s Communications Minister Ayoub Kara on Sunday said Jerusalem wants to shut down television network Al Jazeera’s offices in the capital city and revoke the credentials of its journalists, Al Jazeera reported. He claimed that the network was being used by groups to incite violence in Jerusalem.
The minister accused the network of “supporting terrorism”, Reuters reported. He said cable broadcasters had said they would not air the network’s Arabic and English channels after he announced his plan. A complete shutdown of the office would require legislation, the news agency reported.
“We have based our decision on the move by Sunni Arab states to close Al Jazeera’s offices and prohibit their work,” Kara said. Al Jazeera reporter Scott Heidler, who is in Jerusalem, claimed that Kara’s request covered all journalists working with the network, both in the English and Arabic editions.
Israel also wants to shut down Al Jazeera’s cable and satellite transmissions in the country, the network reported. However, it said it was unclear as to when the communication minister’s request would come into force.