Statement from Hamas regarding Al Jazeera channel

Hamas has issued a written statement regarding the Israeli government's decision to terminate the broadcasts of the Doha-based Al Jazeera television channel in the country. In the statement, which calls on international human rights and press organizations to condemn this decision by Israel and take punitive measures, it was requested that Israel's membership in international press institutions and groups be revoked as a first step toward preventing attacks targeting members of the press.

VIOLATION OF PRESS FREEDOM

While stating that it strongly condemns this decision, Hamas called it "an act of pressure and revenge against the channel's role in exposing the crimes committed by Israel."

It was noted that this decision by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government is a clear violation of press freedom and is a repressive and retaliatory measure against Al Jazeera's professional role in exposing the crimes committed by Israel.

It was emphasized that this decision is the culmination of a war waged against members of the press who are systematically subjected to "terrorist acts" in order to hide the truth.

LIFE-THREATENING DANGER

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate also stated that the Israeli government's decision to terminate the broadcasts of the Doha-based Al Jazeera television channel in the country, close its offices, and seize its equipment poses a major danger to the lives of the journalists working for the channel.

The Syndicate expressed its reaction to the Israeli government's decision in a written statement.

In the statement, which was evaluated as "an additional war crime to the historical crimes committed against the Palestinian people," the Syndicate included the expression: "The decision to close Al Jazeera's offices is another indication that the occupying forces continue to commit massacres and genocide against our Palestinian people in Gaza, the West Bank, and the territories occupied in 1948 without any witnesses, without any documentation, or media coverage."

WHAT HAPPENED?

According to a statement made during the day by the Israeli Prime Minister's Press Office, the proposal presented by Minister of Communications Shlomo Karhi to "terminate the activities of the Qatar-based Al Jazeera television in Israel and close its offices" was unanimously approved at the Cabinet Meeting.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a post on his social media account, used the expression: "The government I lead has unanimously decided to terminate the incitement channel Al Jazeera in Israel."

Within the scope of the decision, it was decided to terminate the activities of the television channels and websites under the Al Jazeera umbrella in Israel, stop their broadcasts, impose access bans on their websites, close their offices, and seize their equipment.

News Source: 12punto