The Media Review Network condemns Israel’s decision to shut down Al Jazeera. We believe it follows similar draconian measures against the Doha-based media network adopted by Arab dictators.
It is part of a carefully crafted campaign to stamp out media freedom and unsurprisingly converges neatly with the demands placed on Qatar by the Saudi-led quartet.
The onslaught faced by Al Jazeera is indicative of the desperation that Israel is experiencing to cope with the unprecedented fallout from failed attempts to lock out Al Aqsa.
Blaming Al Jazeera for “incitement” is not any different from the deplorable history of South Africa’s apartheid regime. SA media underwent such trials via banning and extreme censorship. Free speech became a casualty then during the reign of the National Party as it is currently under threat in Israel.
Attacking the messenger for exposing Israel’s brutal occupation, unjust laws, detention without trial, military checkpoints and the crippling siege of Gaza, is not only stupid as correctly claimed by Al Jazeera analyst Marwan Bishara, but utterly defeatist.
Allegations of supporting “terrorism” is merely a ruse to conceal Israel’s rightwing agenda. An agenda which has no regard for international conventions and laws and which the Netanyahu regime aggressively violates.
We regard the clampdown of Al Jazeera as part of a wider pathetic effort to demonise and vilify it by Israel’s Arab allies.
Censorship didn’t save apartheid South Africa nor will it save the illegal regime of Israel.
Issued by:
Iqbal Jassat
Exec Member: Media Review Network
Johannesburg
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