JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel plans to revoke the media credentials of Al Jazeera TV journalists, close its Jerusalem bureau and pull the Qatar-based station’s broadcasts from local cable and satellite providers, Communications Minister Ayoub Kara said on Sunday.

The closure did not appear imminent, however, and an Israeli official said a legal process was still required to implement most of the proposed steps.

The Israeli move adds further pressure on Qatar, which has been involved in a dispute with four of its Arab neighbours.

Kara said the measures were intended to bolster Israel’s security and “to bring a situation that channels based in Israel will report objectively”.

Al Jazeera said Kara’s comments were unsubstantiated and it would take all necessary legal measures if Israel acts on its threat.

Journalists working for the pan-Arab station in Israel said they did not expect imminent moves against them.

“Al Jazeera Media Network denounces this decision, which comes in the context of a campaign that was initiated by a statement made earlier by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu...” Al Jazeera said in a statement late on Sunday.

Last month, Netanyahu said he would work to shut the network’s offices in Israel, accusing it of inciting violence in Jerusalem, including over an Old City site that is holy to both Muslims and Jews.

Kara said he would ask the Government Press Office to revoke the accreditation of Al Jazeera’s journalists in Israel, where it has about 30 staff. Cable and satellite providers have expressed their willingness to turn off its broadcasts, he said.

Employees work inside the office of Qatar-based Al-Jazeera network in Jerusalem August 7, 2017. REUTERS/Ammar Awad

Kara added that he had asked Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan to use his powers to close the station’s offices in Israel, although a spokesman for Erdan said he doubted the minister had the authority to do so.

“Our ministry is not the address. Try the police,” spokesman Daniel Bar said.

Asked if shutting down Al Jazeera’s operations would make Israel appear to oppose freedom of the press, an official close to the prime minister said the country accepted diverse opinions but not incitement.

“The prime minister is not too pleased with the constant incitement that you see and hear on Al Jazeera, a lot of it in Arabic. There is a lot being broadcast on that channel that is frankly dangerous,” the official said.

“There is no shortage of free speech in this country. There are plenty of dissenting voices. In democratic countries there are also things that are unacceptable, and a lot of what Al Jazeera is saying and broadcasting falls into that category.”

In his news conference, to which Al Jazeera was not invited, Kara said steps had to be taken against “media, which has been determined by almost all Arab countries to actually be a supporter of terror, and we know this for certain.”

“We have identified media outlets that do not serve freedom of speech but endanger the security of Israel’s citizens, and the main instrument has been Al Jazeera,” Kara said.

He was referring to recent violence in and around a Jerusalem site that is revered by Muslims and Jews in which six Palestinians and five Israelis, including two policemen, were killed.

Al Jazeera said in July that Israel was aligning itself with four Arab states - Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain - that have severed diplomatic and commercial ties with Qatar.

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The Foreign Press Association in Israel criticised the planned moves.

“Changing the law in order to shut down a media organisation for political reasons is a slippery slope,” association executive secretary Glenys Sugarman said.

Al Jazeera has also faced government censure in Egypt. In 2014, Egypt jailed three of the network’s staffers for seven years and closed its offices. Two staffers have been released but a third remains imprisoned.</s>Israel moves to shut down local Al Jazeera outlet amid accusations of inciting violence

Israel plans to revoke the media credentials of Al Jazeera TV journalists, close its Jerusalem bureau and pull the Qatar-based station's broadcasts from local cable and satellite providers, Communications Minister Ayoub Kara said.

Mr Kara said the measures were intended to bolster Israel's security and "to bring a situation that channels based in Israel will report objectively".

There was no immediate comment from Al Jazeera headquarters in Qatar, but journalists working for the station in Israel said they did not expect imminent moves against them.

Last month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would work to shut the network's offices in Israel, accusing it of inciting violence in Jerusalem, including over an Old City site that is holy to both Muslims and Jews.

Mr Kara said he would ask the Government Press Office to revoke the accreditation of Al Jazeera's journalists in Israel, where it has about 30 staff. Cable and satellite providers have reportedly expressed their willingness to turn off its broadcasts.

Mr Kara added he had asked Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan to use his powers to close the station's offices in Israel, although a spokesman for Mr Erdan said he doubted the minister had the authority to do so.

Asked if shutting down Al Jazeera's operations would make Israel appear to oppose freedom of the press, an official close to Mr Netanyahu said the country accepted diverse opinions but not incitement.

"The Prime Minister is not too pleased with the constant incitement that you see and hear on Al Jazeera, a lot of it in Arabic," the official said.

"There is no shortage of free speech in this country. There are plenty of dissenting voices. In democratic countries there are also things that are unacceptable, and a lot of what Al Jazeera is saying and broadcasting falls into that category."

In his news conference, to which Al Jazeera was not invited, Mr Kara said steps had to be taken against "media, which has been determined by almost all Arab countries to actually be a supporter of terror, and we know this for certain".

"We have identified media outlets that do not serve freedom of speech but endanger the security of Israel's citizens, and the main instrument has been Al Jazeera," Mr Kara said.

He was referring to recent violence in and around a Jerusalem site that is revered by Muslims and Jews in which six Palestinians and five Israelis, including two policemen, were killed.

Al Jazeera said in July it would take all necessary legal measures if Israel acts on its threat. It said Israel was aligning itself with four Arab states that have severed diplomatic and commercial ties with Qatar.

The Foreign Press Association in Israel criticised the planned moves.</s>Israel plans to ban the Al Jazeera news network from operating in the country over accusations it is "a supporter of terror".

Communications Minister Ayoob Kara said he plans to pull the Qatar-based station's broadcasts, revoke the press credentials of Al Jazeera journalists and close their Jerusalem bureau.

Mr Kara gave no timetable for the move but said he has asked cable and satellite networks to block Al Jazeera transmissions and is seeking legislation to ban them altogether.

Journalists working for the station in Israel said they did not expect imminent moves against them and Walid al-Omari, the broadcaster's bureau chief in Jerusalem, said his office has not been informed by Israeli officials of any possible measures the government might take.

If Israel follows through with the threat, it would join Arab nations that have shut down the broadcaster amid a separate political dispute.

Last month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a Facebook post that he would work to shut the network's offices in Israel, accusing it of inciting recent violence in Jerusalem, including over an Old City site that is holy to both Muslims and Jews.

Speaking on Sunday, Mr Kara said: "We have identified media outlets that do not serve freedom of speech but endanger the security of Israel's citizens, and the main instrument has been Al Jazeera.

"A media, which has been deemed to be a supporter of terror by almost all Arab countries, and we know this for certain, we will take a few steps against it, to express our fight against terrorism and radical Islam, and our empathy with the sane Arab world.

"The freedom of speech is not the freedom of incitement. Democracy has boundaries as well. When it comes down to the question what precedes what, I have no doubt, I prefer citizens and soldiers alive in Israel."

Al Jazeera has already been targeted by Arab nations that are isolating Qatar as part of a dispute over Doha's politics and alleged support for extremists.

Jordan and Saudi Arabia have recently closed Al Jazeera's local offices, while the channel and its affiliate sites have been blocked in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain.

"Lately, almost all countries in our region determined that Al Jazeera supports terrorism, supports religious radicalization," Mr Kara said.

"And when we see that all these countries have determined as fact that Al Jazeera is a tool of the Islamic State, Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran, and we are the only one who have not determined that then something delusional is happening here."

Israeli officials have long accused Al Jazeera of bias against the Jewish state. Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman has likened its coverage to "Nazi Germany-style" propaganda.</s>Cairo: Israel will close Al Jazeera's office in Jerusalem, the Qatari news television network says.

"Israel to shut Al Jazeera offices in Jerusalem and revoke credentials of its journalists," the broadcaster said on Twitter on Sunday, adding that the shutdown would include its Arabic and English channels.

Kara, of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party, said he wants to revoke press cards from Al Jazeera reporters, which in affect prevents them from working in Israel.

Kara added he has asked cable and satellite networks to block their transmissions and is seeking legislation to ban them altogether.

Jordan and Saudi Arabia have recently closed Al Jazeera's local offices, while the channel and its affiliate sites have been blocked in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain.

"Lately, almost all countries in our region determined that Al Jazeera supports terrorism, supports religious radicalisation," Kara said.

"And when we see that all these countries have determined as fact that Al Jazeera is a tool of the Islamic State (group), Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran, and we are the only one who have not determined that, then something delusional is happening here," he said.

Israeli officials have long accused Al Jazeera of bias against the Jewish state. Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman has likened its coverage to "Nazi Germany-style" propaganda.

Last month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Al Jazeera of inciting violence in a conflict over a Jerusalem holy site.

Netanyahu said he had appealed several times to law enforcement authorities demanding the closure of Al Jazeera's Jerusalem office.

Al Jazeera, a main conduit for news from Israel to the Arab and Muslim world, extensively covered tensions in Jerusalem over Israeli security measures at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount.</s>Israel is moving to restrict the operations of the Qatari broadcaster Al Jazeera in the country, according to communication minister Ayoub Kara.

Kara said Sunday that the network is being used by some groups to “incite violence,” and said he had made a request to revoke the credentials of the network’s journalists and close its office in Jerusalem, a report on the network’s website said.

"We have based our decision on the move by Sunni Arab states to close the Al Jazeera offices and prohibiting their work," Kara said, at a press conference that the network itself was barred from attending.

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Al Jazeera’s report said that Kara’s request covers all of its journalists for both its Arabic and English language versions. Israel is also seeking to shut down the networks’ cable and satellite transmissions in the country, the report said.

According to Reuters, Kara said that local cable and satellite broadcasters had agreed to a plan to take both Al Jazeera’s channels off air. But, he said, closure of the office would require further legislation.

Kara added that the country’s interior ministry would also be involved in the closure of Al Jazeera’s office. It is unclear how long the process of closing the network is likely to take.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously threatened to close the network over what he sees as anti-Israel coverage, including its reporting on the protests at the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, a sacred site to both Jews and Muslims, after Israeli authorities implemented new security checks for those entering.

The move follows the closure of Al Jazeera bureaus in Saudi Arabia and Jordan, as part of an ongoing diplomatic and economic boycott against Qatar by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt, who accuse the state of supporting terrorism.

Conditions for the lifting of the boycott included the closure of Al Jazeera.

The UAE has also blocked Al Jazeera’s signal, while Egypt banned Al Jazeera years ago.</s>JERUSALEM -- Israel said Sunday it plans to ban Qatar's flagship Al-Jazeera news network from operating in the country over allegations it incites violence, joining Arab nations that have shut down the broadcaster amid a separate political dispute.

Communications Minister Ayoob Kara said he plans to revoke the press credentials of Al-Jazeera journalists, effectively preventing them from working in Israel.

Kara said he has asked cable and satellite networks to block Al Jazeera transmissions and is seeking legislation to ban them altogether.

The minister, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud Party, gave no timetable for such measures.

Doha-based Al-Jazeera did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Its Arab and English channels reported the news.

Walid al-Omari, the broadcaster's bureau chief in Jerusalem, said on air that his office has not been informed by Israeli officials of any possible measures the government might take.

Al-Jazeera, a pan-Arab satellite network funded by the Qatari government, already has been targeted by Arab nations now isolating Qatar as part of a months-long political dispute over Doha's politics and alleged support for extremists.

Jordan and Saudi Arabia have recently closed Al-Jazeera's local offices, while the channel and its affiliate sites have been blocked in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain.

"Lately, almost all countries in our region determined that Al-Jazeera supports terrorism, supports religious radicalization," Kara said. "And when we see that all these countries have determined as fact that Al-Jazeera is a tool of the Islamic State (group), Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran, and we are the only one who have not determined that then something delusional is happening here."

Israeli officials have long accused Al-Jazeera of bias against the Jewish state. Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman has likened its coverage to "Nazi Germany-style" propaganda.

Nitzan Chen, director of the Government Press Office, said press credentials are not issued if security officials deem the cards would be "liable to endanger the security of the state." He said "Therefore, I have contacted the security echelon and have requested a professional opinion regarding the Al-Jazeera network."

A decision will be made after receiving that opinion, he said.

American viewers became familiar with Al-Jazeera after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, when its golden-hued Arabic logo became synonymous with video messages by al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden. That sparked frequent complaints by then-President George W. Bush's administration. The station defended its policy, saying the messages were newsworthy.

Al-Jazeera was the first Arab satellite news channel to offer a range of views outside of heavily censored state media across the region and extensively covered the 2011 Arab Spring. It also was the first Arab-owned news outlet to host Israeli officials and commentators, which some analysts note coincided with Qatar's ties with Israel at the time.</s>Israel moves to shut down local operations of Al-Jazeera

Israel accused the station of 'supporting terrorism'.— Reuters picJERUSALEM, Aug 6 — Israel plans to 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, Communications Minister Ayoub Kara said today.

Kara accused the station of "supporting terrorism" and said cable broadcasters had agreed to his proposal to take the station's Arabic and English channels off air. Closure of the station's office would require further legislation, he added. — Reuters</s>Yesterday, joining Jordan, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, the Israeli government has moved to ban both the Arabic and English-language versions of Al Jazeera from operating in the country, accusing the network of sponsoring terrorism and inciting violence.

Israeli Communications Minister Ayoub Kara accused the Qatari-funded channel of incitement in Israel and moved to revoke Al Jazeera journalists’ press cards, calling broadcasters to take the network off the air. He also proposed shutting down the channel office in Jerusalem, but this would require new legislation.

Kara said at the press conference “We have identified media outlets that do not serve freedom of speech, but endanger the security of Israel’s citizens, and the main instrument has been Al Jazeera.” “Freedom of expression is not freedom to incite.”

This move came alight with interests of several of governments of the Gulf states, where Saudi Arabia and Jordan have shut down the network offices, and United Arab Emirates and Bahrain have taken the network off the air in recent months.

“We have based our decision on the move by Sunni Arab states to close the Al Jazeera offices and prohibiting their work,” he said. He added, “Almost all countries in our region determined that Al Jazeera supports terrorism, supports religious radicalization. Al Jazeera has become the main tool of Daesh [the Islamic State], Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously accused Al Jazeera of bias and anti-Israeli coverage and threatened to shut down the network, accusing Al-Jazeera of fueling last month’s unrest at a scared site in Jerusalem, the Muslim al-Aqsa mosque, which is located on what Jews call the Temple Mount. Netanyahu Tweeted after the announcement in support of the move “who [Kara] on my instructions took concrete steps to end Al-Jazeera’s incitement.”</s>Israel is set to close down Al Jizz’s office in Jerusalem.

Israel is moving forward to revoke media credentials of Al Jazeera journalists and close the network’s office in Jerusalem, the country’s communication minister has announced.

Ayoub Kara made the announcement on Sunday during a press conference, where Al Jazeera was barred from attending.

“We have based our decision on the move by Sunni Arab states to close the Al Jazeera offices and prohibiting their work,” Kara said, adding that the channel is being used by groups to “incite” violence.

Kara said he expects Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, to consider his request in the next session.

“I will go through the legislatory mechanism to create the authority in which I can act freely. We will try to end it as quickly as possible.”

Al Jazeera’s Scott Heidler, reporting from Jerusalem on Sunday, said that the request to revoke the credentials cover all the networks journalists in both the Arabic and English channels.

It was unclear when the government will act on the request.

Our correspondent reported that Israel is also seeking to shut down Al Jazeera’s cable and satellite transmissions in the country.

During the press conference, Kara also said that the interior ministry will also be involved in shutting down Al Jazeera’s office in Jerusalem.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been threatening to shut Al Jazeera’s operations in the country, accusing the network of inciting violence against Israel.</s>The Qatar-based broadcaster promised legal action against the decision, saying it aligned Israel with other Arab states that are traditionally its enemies.

On Sunday, Israel's communications minister, Ayoub Kara, accused Al Jazeera of supporting "terroristic journalism" and announced plans to close its Jerusalem bureau, halt its transmissions and revoke its press credentials.

The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month accused Al Jazeera of inciting violence in its coverage of clashes between Muslim worshippers and Israeli security forces at Jerusalem's Al Aqsa mosque.

Kara suggested Israel's plan to block Al Jazeera was inspired by similar moves in Arab countries that are boycotting its main backer, Qatar.

"In the current period, most of the countries in our region have determined that Al Jazeera supports terror, supports religious extremism. These include the Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt," Kara said in Sunday's press conference. Kara said he had asked Israel's interior ministry to carry out his requests, but offered no timeline for when he expected the moves to take effect. The proposals would involve multiple agencies and aspects of them require legislation, Al Jazeera reported. An employee of the Qatar based news network and TV channel Al-Jazeera at the channel's Jerusalem office. Al Jazeera slammed the decision "made by a state that claims to be 'the only democratic state in the Middle East.' In a statement, the broadcaster said Israel's explanations were "odd and biased as they are in unison with the actions carried out by a number of Arab countries (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, and Jordan) that have closed the network's bureaus, shut down its cable and satellite transmissions, and blocked its websites and applications." On June 5, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt enforced an economic and diplomatic boycott of the gas-rich emirate, accusing it of supporting terrorism. Qatar has firmly denied the accusations. The four nations, along with Jordan, closed Al Jazeera's operations in their territories shortly after the boycott began. Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain do not recognize Israel as a state, and Israeli citizens are barred from entering their territories. Shutting down Al Jazeera was one of 13 demands issued to the Qatar as preconditions for ending the boycott. Qatar has said that the list was "made to be rejected." Quartet says Qatar talks possible but no concessions Last month, the UAE said it sent a letter to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights accusing Al Jazeera of promoting "extremist narratives." The letter was a response to a statement by the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom and expression that denounced demands to shut down Al Jazeera as "a major blow to media pluralism." Al Jazeera said Israel's claims were groundless. "During the press conference, the minister could not substantiate his comments by referring to a single news bulletin or situation that proved Al Jazeera had not been professional nor objective during its coverage in Jerusalem," said the Al Jazeera statement criticizing the Israeli move. Al Jazeera said it would continue "covering news and events in the occupied Palestinian territories in a professional and objective manner," and take "necessary legal measures" against the moves to shut it down in Israel.
Israel plans to shut down all of Al Jazeera's operations in the country, alleging support of terrorism.