Al Jazeera is determined to pursue all avenues of legal action to contest Israel’s ban on its operations amid the ongoing conflict with Gaza, stated the network’s news director in an interview with AFP.
The Qatar-based media outlet was removed from Israeli airwaves following a government decision led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cease its activities due to coverage of the conflict.
Al Jazeera English news director, Salah Negm, affirmed on Monday that the network would exhaust all legal options, asserting, “If there is a chance to challenge that ruling, we will take it all the way.”
Netanyahu’s cabinet, in a unanimous move, closed Al Jazeera’s office in Jerusalem, seized its equipment, and revoked its staff’s accreditations.
Negm emphasized that the network would seek legal recourse for the confiscated equipment and the halted broadcasts, labeling the Israeli action as worthy of legal challenge.
The Israeli government first imposed a 45-day ban, potentially extendable, on the network.
Shortly after the decision, Al Jazeera’s Arabic and English channels in Israel displayed a message in Hebrew, noting a temporary suspension. However, broadcasts from the West Bank and Gaza, where Al Jazeera remains operational, are not affected.
Critics argue that Israel’s ban infringes on the right to information, with Al Jazeera promptly denouncing the move as “criminal” on social media. Despite the blockade on its website in Israel, Negm attempted to downplay the ban’s impact on Al Jazeera’s coverage of the conflict and accessibility of its content to the public.
