Israel announced on Thursday it was revoking the press accreditation of Al Jazeera journalists working in the country, four months after shutting down the Qatari television network.
“The Government Press Office (GPO) is cancelling the (press) cards of Al Jazeera journalists working in Israel,” the Israeli Government Press Office said in a statement.
“This is a media outlet that broadcasts false content, including incitement against Israelis and Jews, and poses a threat to (Israeli) soldiers,” the statement quoted press office director Nitzan Chen as saying.
An Israeli official familiar with the matter told AFP the decision currently applies to four full-time Al Jazeera journalists with Israeli citizenship.
Al Jazeera’s remaining staff in the country, consisting mainly of video producers and photographers whom the government believes are not actively producing content, will continue to hold Israeli press cards.
The GPO press card is not mandatory to work as a journalist in Israel, but without it it is nearly impossible to access parliament or government ministries, or to gain access to military infrastructure.
Contacted by AFP, Al Jazeera’s bureau chief for the Palestinian territories, Walid Omari, said the network had not been informed of Israel’s latest decision.
“When we get (the official notification) then we will see,” Omeri said.
The Israeli military has repeatedly accused the Qatar network’s journalists of being “terrorist agents” affiliated with Hamas or its ally Islamic Jihad in Gaza.
Al Jazeera has denied the Israeli government’s allegations and claimed that Israel is systematically targeting its staff in the Gaza Strip.
At least two journalists have been killed since the war in Gaza began on October 7 after Hamas militants attacked southern Israel.
Fourteen Al Jazeera staff, all of whom are Israeli citizens, currently have Israeli government press cards, Omari said in a message on a WhatsApp group for journalists.
The Israeli parliament passed a law in early April banning foreign media broadcasts deemed harmful to state security.
Based on this law, the Israeli government approved on May 5 a decision to ban the channel from broadcasting from Israel and close its offices for a period of 45 days, which was extended for the fourth time by a Tel Aviv court on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has a long-running dispute with Al Jazeera, which has worsened since the Gaza war began.
“Hamas supporters in Israel will not be allowed freedom of speech,” Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi said in May.
“Al Jazeera will be shut down immediately and its equipment will be confiscated.”
The shutdown did not affect broadcasts from the Israeli-occupied West Bank or the Gaza Strip, from where Al Jazeera still covers Israel’s war with Palestinian militants.
The GPO press card is not mandatory to work as a journalist in Israel, but without it it is nearly impossible to access parliament, enter ministries or gain access to military infrastructure.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
