Al Jazeera on Monday condemned what it called “dangerous” moves by the Israeli government to ban the Qatar-based news channel amid a long-running battle over its reporting intensified by coverage of the Israel-Gaza war.
Al Jazeera said “this latest measure comes as part of a series of systematic Israeli attacks to silence Al Jazeera”.
Israel claimed in January that an Al Jazeera staff journalist and a freelancer killed in a Gaza air strike were “terror operatives”.
The following month it said another journalist for the channel, wounded in a strike, was a “deputy company commander” with Hamas.
“Al Jazeera Media Network condemns these statements and sees as nothing but a dangerous ludicrous lie,” it added.
Al Jazeera rejects Israel army claims slain journalists were ‘terror operatives’
Al Jazeera rejects Israel army claims slain journalists were ‘terror operatives’
Al Jazeera said attacks against the network had been carried out in a “disgraceful manner”.
“Netanyahu could not find any justifications to offer the world for his ongoing attacks on Al Jazeera and press freedom except to present new lies and inflammatory slanders against the network and the rights of its employees.”
The network said it holds Netanyahu “responsible for the safety of its staff”.
“Al Jazeera reiterates that such slanderous accusations will not deter us from continuing our bold and professional coverage,” it added.