Israeli government raids, shutters Al Jazeera
May 5 (UPI) -- The government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has raided the Jerusalem offices of Al Jazeera and shuttered the news broadcaster as critics blasted the move as a blow to press freedom.
"The government headed by me unanimously decided: the incitement channel Al Jazeera will be closed in Israel," Netanyahu said on social media. Netanyahu thanked Israeli Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi for his efforts in shuttering the network.
Karhi shared a video on social media that showed inspectors from the Communications Ministry backed by Israeli Police raiding the offices and confiscating the broadcaster's equipment.
Netanyahu's regime has been critical of Al Jazeera's coverage of his war in Gaza and previously called the network a "mouthpiece" for Hamas, the Palestinian militia that Israel and its allies consider to be a terrorist group.
The decision to raid the Qatar-based Al Jazeera came after the Knesset passed a bill in April that would allow the government to temporarily close any foreign media outlets. The move could strain relations with Qatar, which has been acting as a mediator throughout Israel's war.
Al Jazeera, in a news article covering its own closure, noted that it has "repeatedly rejected" accusations made by Netanyahu's government.
The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has not yet commented on Israel's move. However, in 2022, the U.S. National Security Council released a statement condemning Russia for similar moves amid its war in Ukraine.
Emily Horne, the spokesperson for the interagency advisory group, said then that Russia's censorship agency " shuttered independent Russian media outlets, blocked social media, and restricted access in Russia to international news outlets."
The Committee to Protect Journalists, an advocacy group for press freedom, noted late Saturday that Israel was among the worst jailers of journalists worldwide in 2023 and that Palestinian Gaza was among the deadliest countries for journalists.
The raid came just after World Press Freedom Day, an observance of the United Nations held Friday to raise awareness for the importance of press freedom.
