Following moves by Jordan and Saudi Arabia to shut down the Al Jazeera broadcaster’s offices in their countries, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is deliberating the possibility of closing the Qatar-based network’s operations in Israel.
According to reports, Netanyahu conducted preliminary discussions on the issue Monday, and Israel’s Government Press Office, Foreign Ministry and security services are also examining the move.
Jordan and Saudi Arabia shut down Al Jazeera’s offices against the backdrop of a major diplomatic dispute between Qatar and Arab states over Qatar’s support for terrorism.
“Israel, along with the Arab states, sees Al Jazeera as a danger, a media body similar to those in Nazi Germany,” Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Monday.
Al Jazeera’s bureau chief in Jerusalem, Walid al-Omari, responded by claiming the Qatari news network doesn’t “incite against Israel or anyone else.”
“We convey the news. It’s not our fault if the news is ugly,” Omari said, Yedioth Ahronoth reported.
(JNS.org)
{Matzav}
