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
Israel inflicted serious damage on Hamas with airstrikes this week that killed its Gaza government chief and other top officials, but Palestinian and Israeli sources say the group has shown it can absorb major losses and still fight and govern.
Israel's Supreme Court issued an injunction on Friday temporarily freezing the dismissal of the head of the domestic intelligence service as protestors returned to the streets for a fourth day.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Friday the army was intensifying strikes from the air, land and sea in Gaza to pressure Hamas into freeing remaining hostages, and would also evacuate civilians to the south of the enclave.
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