Al Jazeera attacks Israel bureau shutdown as 'undemocratic'
Israel plans to block Al Jazeera broadcasts and close its local bureau over claims the channel is "supporting terrorism".
Monday 7 August 2017 09:00, UK
Al Jazeera has said Israel's decision to close its Jerusalem bureau is "undemocratic" and has threatened legal action.
The Qatar-based network criticised the decision by a country which "claims to be the only democracy in the Middle East".
"Al Jazeera stresses that it will closely watch the developments that may result from the Israeli decision," a statement issued by the broadcaster on Monday said.
"And will take the necessary legal measures towards it."
This comes after Israel announced plans to shut down Al Jazeera's bureau and revoke press credentials for all its journalists, accusing the broadcaster of "supporting terrorism".
Israel is following the footsteps of four of its Arab neighbours - Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain - which have aligned against Qatar over its alleged extremism links.
Israel's communications minister Ayoub Kara said on Sunday "something delusional" is happening "when all these countries have determined as fact that Al Jazeera is a tool of the Islamic State, Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran, and we are the only one who have not determined that".
Israel has also accused Al Jazeera of inciting violence against the country.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote on Facebook that he wanted the network expelled amid tensions over a holy site in Jerusalem.
"The Al-Jazeera channel continues to incite violence around the Temple Mount," he wrote, referring to the holy site which is known to Muslims as Haram al Sharif and to Jews as the Temple Mount.
"I have appealed to law enforcement agencies several times to close the Al Jazeera office in Jerusalem... If this is not possible because of legal interpretation, I am going to seek to have the necessary legislation adopted to expel Al Jazeera from Israel."
The network has responded to the accusations, denying its coverage of the unrest was unprofessional.
"Al Jazeera will continue to cover the events of the occupied Palestinian territories professionally and accurately, according to the standards set by international agencies, such as the UK Office of Communications (Ofcom)," it wrote.
Jordan and Saudi Arabia have closed Al Jazeera's local offices, while the channel and its sites have been blocked in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain.
Hamas, the militant group that rules Gaza, condemned Israel's plans.
"Al Jazeera had a big role conveying the Palestinian narrative with a high professionalism," said spokesman Hazem Qassem.
New York-based group The Committee to Protect Journalists also criticised the move, which it called "undemocratic".
It said it would "put Israel firmly in the camp of some of the region's worst enemies of press freedom".