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September 17, 2024 – Israel/Qatar –
Amid growing tension over its coverage of Gaza, Israel has revoked the Government Press Office (GPO) credentials of four Al Jazeera journalists—two Israeli citizens and two Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem. Announced on September 12, 2024, this action follows the earlier shutdown and banning of Al Jazeera’s Israeli and West Bank bureaus, part of what press freedom advocates describe as a coordinated media crackdown.
The GPO defended the decision, accusing Al Jazeera of disseminating “false content” and “incitement” that threatens Israeli soldiers and national security. The revoked journalists, primarily full-time correspondents and bureau staff, are now barred from accessing government ministries, the Knesset, and military sites, though freelance personnel such as photographers and video producers continue to hold their press passes.
Journalists working in Israel are not legally required to hold GPO accreditation, but practically speaking, it is essential for reporting access. Without it, international and local media face severe limitations in covering politics, defense, and public affairs.
Media watchdogs have strongly condemned the move. The International Press Institute branded it “a broader and deeply alarming pattern of harassment of journalists and attacks on press freedom”. The raid and closure of Al Jazeera’s West Bank bureau in Ramallah—during a live broadcast—has also triggered global condemnation, with the International Federation of Journalists decrying it as “a deliberate attack on media freedom and the public’s right to know”.
This escalation is part of a broader legislative and administrative campaign: in April 2024, the Israeli Knesset passed the “Al Jazeera Law,” granting authorities sweeping powers to shut down foreign news outlets deemed national security threats, confiscate their equipment, and bar them from broadcasting. On May 5, 2024, Israel’s cabinet enforced these powers to permanently shut Al Jazeera’s office in Israel and seize its equipment; the network has since been off-air in the country.
Press freedom organizations argue that Israel’s escalating censorship measures—including arrests, credential revocations, office closures, broadcast bans, and new restrictive laws—constitute a chilling environment for journalism. Critics warn this undermines democratic norms, restricts access to unbiased reporting on Gaza, and sets a worrying precedent for suppressing foreign media under the guise of national security.
Reference –
https://www.voanews.com/a/israel-revokes-press-credentials-of-al-jazeera-journalists-/7782179.html
Israeli authorities revoke Al Jazeera journalists’ press passes – ipi.media
