TEL AVIV, Israel – On March 12, Israel announced a boycott of Al Jazeera, an Qatar-based Arab broadcasting agency.  Israel accused Al Jazeera of bias and favoring militant organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah.  Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Majali Wahbe announced that the government would deny visas to Al Jazeera employees and that the agency could no longer interview Israeli officials.  Also, Al Jazeera correspondents are banned from entering government offices in Jerusalem.

The decision to impose the boycott was influenced by Al Jazeera’s coverage of the recent Israeli operation in Gaza, which resulted in over 120 Palestinian and 5 Israeli deaths.  Israel accused the Arab station of bias because it rarely showed Israeli casualties or Palestinian rocket fire.  In general, the Israeli government complains that the station emphasizes Palestinian suffering while disregarding the rocket attacks targeting Israeli civilians.

Fatah has also criticized Al Jazeera’s coverage.  President Abbas complains that the agency supports Fatah’s rivals, Hamas.  Fatah lawmakers have criticized Al Jazeera of granting Hamas spokesmen a great amount of air time, while only minimal amounts to moderates.

Walid Al Omary, Al-Jazeera’s bureau chief in Jerusalem, denied that the station was biased and accused Israel of trying to “intimidate Al-Jazeera to influence our coverage.”

For more information, please see:
Arab News – When Media Becomes the News – 15 March 2008

Yedioth News – Time to End the Show – 14 March 2008

Gulf Times – Tel Aviv Orders Boycott of Jazeera News Channel – 13 March 2008

Associated Press – Israel to Impose Sanctions on Al-Jazeera – 12 March 2008

BBC – Israel Accuses Al-Jazeera of Bias – 12 March 2008