Israel Bans Al Jazeera

The Israeli Cabinet has collectively agreed to shut down Al Jazeera, disabling the news network from airing on local television within the country. Israeli police forces have also taken broadcasting equipment from their office in Jerusalem (Times of Israel). 

This temporary ban was initiated by the Israeli government, owing to the fact that the network was said to hold anti-Israeli prejudice as well as being a “mouthpiece for Hamas” (CNN). Benjamin Netenyahu, the Israeli prime minister, vowed to remove Al Jazeera from Israeli broadcasting systems a month prior to this event, so there was communication prior to the ban.

Al Jazeera, being one of the only news systems from the Gaza strip, provides a new perspective for viewers worldwide and within Israel. This event has been named by many sources as “a dark day for democracy”, with western and local outlets that sympathize with Al Jazeera expressing their shock. This is the first time that Israel has banned an overseas outlet. (Politico). 

The question that remains: how significant will this event be in further hindering the relationship between Israel and other Middle Eastern countries?