The head of Al Jazeera's operations in Israel and the Palestinian territories, Walid Omary, has criticized the Israeli government's recent decision to close down the station's local offices, labeling it as "dangerous" and politically motivated.
An employee walks inside the Al-Jazeera office in Jerusalem, June 13, 2017. Reuters/Ronen Zvulun
The head of Al Jazeera's operations in Israel and the Palestinian territories, Walid Omary, has criticized the Israeli government's recent decision to close down the station's local offices, labeling it as "dangerous" and politically motivated.
This move has sparked significant controversy given Al Jazeera's contentious role in the region.
Al Jazeera, owned by Qatar, has often been accused of partisanship, particularly in its coverage of various groups in the Middle East. Critics argue that the network has long supported factions like Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, the Muslim Brotherhood, and the Houthis, which are involved in regional conflicts.
The station's coverage in Israel has been a point of contention. Accusations range from unbalanced reporting to the frequent broadcast of misinformation that critics claim fuels anti-Israel sentiment. Such practices, according to detractors, have not only biased the informational landscape but also stoked hatred across the Arab world and beyond through its English-language broadcasts.
In response to the closure, Al Jazeera's legal team, led by Walid Omary, is preparing to challenge the decision, possibly through a court appeal.
By Marcel Khoury in Jerusalem
U.S. President Joe Biden and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi discussed negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza on Tuesday and agreed to remain in close coordination in the coming hours, the White House said.
French President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to visit Lebanon on Friday, marking the first visit by a foreign head of state since the election of Lebanon’s new president, Joseph Aoun, according to an announcement from the Lebanese presidency on Tuesday.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday laid out plans for the post-war management of Gaza, saying the outgoing Biden administration would hand over the roadmap to President-elect Donald Trump's team to pick up if a ceasefire deal is reached.
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