Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has said the Israeli government is working to prevent Qatar-based television channel Al Jazeera from operating in the country.
Lieberman said Israeli government has already begun reviewing the Qatari television channel’s status in order to stop it from working in Israel, reports Israel-based media the Haaretz.
According to the report, the minister also assailed Qatar calling it a worldwide problem.
“Qatar constitutes the economic spine of the most radical terrorist groups, which are undermining the stability of the world in general and the Middle East in particular,” he said.
“Qatar is a key player in our current conflict with Hamas in Gaza, since among other things, it finances Hamas and gives asylum to Khaled Meshal,” Lieberman added, referring to the head of Hamas’ political wing.
Terming Al Jazeera as a pillar of Hamas' propaganda effort, Lieberman said: “Al Jazeera has abandoned even the semblance of a credible media outlet, and it broadcasts – both within Gaza and outside it, to the world – anti-Semitic incitement, lies, provocation and encouragement to terrorists.”
All the major global broadcasters have a presence in Israel, Lieberman noted, and many of them “don’t exactly broadcast Zionist propaganda – even the opposite. But as a democratic country, we are obligated to allow this. In Al Jazeera’s case, however, this isn’t a media issue, but an issue relating to the operation of a branch of a terrorist organisation that is currently fighting against the State of Israel. The US wouldn’t let an al-Qaeda channel broadcast from New York.”
On the other hand, Al Jazeera Correspondent Stefanie Dekker tweeted about them evacuating after two warning shots were fired straight into their Gaza office.