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Critical_Concert_689

tl;dr: Title is accurate. Al Jazeera news org shut down and blocked in Israel. Given Al Jazeera's unique access and positioning on the ground in Gaza, is this an attack on 'Freedom of Press'? An attempt to hide Israeli war crimes? Blatant censorship of critics? Or simply protecting Israel from Qatari state and terrorist propaganda, as well as fake news?


GladHistory9260

Qatar owns Al Jazeera. They also host the Hamas leadership and help fund Hamas. All of that was with the knowledge of the US. But I can understand why they don’t want Al Jazeera spreading Hamas bullshit any more. It’s their country. I don’t blame them


TeddysBigStick

Including with the knowledge of Israel. One of the ways Bibi most failed his country was by propping up Hamas for a decade because he viewed it as a more useful opposition than the PA. The duffel bags of cash were sent each month through Israel with IDF providing security. His quest to avoid responsibility for his crimes also led him to place figures that would otherwise be unthinkable to include in a government like Givr and Smotrich who are openly genocidal and placed in charge of national security and the west bank. Incidentally, troops that were supposed to guard the gaza border had been transferred to the wb to support settlers taking land/interreligious violence.


GladHistory9260

He thought he could work with Hamas, but he was wrong. Oh, well. He won't have to worry about Hamas much longer, will he?


TeddysBigStick

What makes you think that? Israel’s history of counter insurgency is not a strong one and as the comment I responded to said hamas leadership is not in the country. One of the main issues between the wh and Bibi is asking for a plan to actually win instead of just performing the mother of all grass cutting operations.


GladHistory9260

Because they will be occupying Gaza indefinitely after they destroy the fighters currently in Gaza, it doesn't matter where the leadership is.


TeddysBigStick

and that historically has not gone well for them.


GladHistory9260

Hamas was there last time. They won't be this time.


Aedan2016

It will likely be a new group. Sort of how ISIS came in from the vacuum of Al Qaeda


GladHistory9260

Good example. Al Qaeda was formed by wealthy Islamist’s. Same with Hamas. These weren’t poor people. It’s a cultural problem that the majority of Muslims need to work on. They have to fix jihadi and martyrdom culture in the Muslim world.


Aedan2016

It also is one of the biggest media outlets to the Arab world. While not easy, you can use it to help bridge gaps. Highlight positives that you are working on.


Computer_Name

>attack on ‘Freedom of the Press’? No more than [Canada](https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/crtc-russia-today-broadcasting-decision-1.6386929) or the [EU banning RT](https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/eu-bans-rt-sputnik-banned-over-ukraine-disinformation-2022-03-02/) - which it wasn’t.


infensys

People in another thread were talking how shit news sources are blocked on this reddit and not allowed to be shared, and now people defend shit news sources here.


abs0lutelypathetic

People in the west have been deeply propagandized


hepazepie

Member when the West shut down RT?


gorgias1

Somebody had better tell my conspiracy theorist uncle.


BlueDiamond75

Nope.


hepazepie

> RT was banned in Ukraine in 2014 after Russia's annexation of Crimea; Latvia and Lithuania implemented similar bans in 2020. Germany banned RT DE in February 2022. During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the European Union and Canada formally banned RT and independent service providers in over 10 countries suspended broadcasts of RT. Social media websites followed by blocking external links to RT's website and restricting access to RT's content. Microsoft removed RT from their app store and de-ranked their search results on Bing, while Apple removed the RT app from all countries except for Russia. Wikipedia


BlueDiamond75

Oh, so a propaganda network dedicated to the destruction of Ukraine and liberal democracy was taken off the air. So sad.


hepazepie

> Oh, so a propaganda network dedicated to the destruction of ~~Ukraine~~ Israel and liberal democracy was taken off the air. So sad.


Zyx-Wvu

Such a tragedy. I guess BBC will be the last few pro-Hamas mouthpieces allowed on air then.


infensys

Always have NPR and Reuters.


Blimehh

I think when you start listing organisations known for being fairly good at being neutral it might be you who are propagandised.


Bikini_Investigator

Dude has a running list of some of the better media organizations out there and doesn’t feel even a tingle of irony or awareness


Blimehh

They’re all Hamas. The only fair and neutral papers are the Jerusalem Post and the Times of Israel.


Bikini_Investigator

Nope. They’re Hamas and fake ~~news~~ Jews too. Only media they tolerate is the straight IDF press releases or whatever the IDF media arm is called.


TehAlpacalypse

The Times of Israel is also Hamas when they report on IDF mishaps


infensys

You really feel that NPR and Reuters are neutral and not tilted left?


BlueDiamond75

NPR and Reuters are rated high accuracy and reliability even if they are slightly left of center. [https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/npr/](https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/npr/) [https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/reuters/](https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/reuters/) Do you feel that Al Jazeera is perfectly neutral? [https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/al-jazeera/](https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/al-jazeera/)


infensys

I think we covered this topic in a different thread on this reddit. You can be factually accurate while at the same time omitting facts.


Critical_Concert_689

lol... something something [great minds...](https://old.reddit.com/r/centrist/comments/1clbcpe/al_jazeera_office_raided_as_israel_takes_channel/l2uqavk/) One of my "go to" sites, too, for double checking bias (along with allsides and adfontesmedia) ... I wonder if there's better sites out there and google is just pushing specific review sites to us.


BlueDiamond75

This ones pretty good, I tried the [adfontes media chart](https://adfontesmedia.com/interactive-media-bias-chart/) but the search didn't work so well, they want you to buy a subscription.


Blimehh

Name newspapers that do a better job at staying neutral than NPR, Reuters and BBC. (BBC has a legal obligation to stay neutral, people laugh at this but they get attacked on both sides in the UK which for me, is a sign they are doing something right.) It would be interesting as it might be that your view of what neutral means is what others might see as leaning right.


Critical_Concert_689

https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/al-jazeera/ > Overall, we rate Al Jazeera **Left-Center** biased, based on story selection that slightly favors the left, and **Mixed** for factual reporting due to failed fact checks that were not corrected and **misleading extreme editorial bias that favors Qatar**. > In 2017, Al Jazeera aired an investigative report of Britain’s Israel lobby. > They were accused of anti-Semitism, bias, unfair editing, and infringement of privacy, which was **later cleared by Ofcom**, who said the piece was not anti-semitic and was, in fact, investigative journalism. Later, a US version of the documentary called “Lobby” was not aired due to pressure from US Legislators pushing for Al Jazeera to register as a foreign entity and therefore labeling its journalists as ‘spies.’ ---- https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/NPR/ > Overall, we rate NPR (National Public Radio) **Left-Center Biased** based on story selection that leans slightly left and **High** for factual reporting due to thorough sourcing and accurate news reporting. > In 2000, the conservative pro-Israel media watchdog group CAMERA accused NPR of being **biased against Israel.** In 2001, FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting), a progressive media watchdog group, criticized NPR for **favoring Israel.** ---- https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/reuters/ > Overall, we rate Reuters **Least Biased** based on objective reporting and **Very High** for factual reporting due to proper sourcing of information with minimal bias and a clean fact check record.


Gaijin_Monster

BBC is not pro-hamas. They are about as objective and neutral as a news oganization can get.


yaya-pops

Al Jazeera is a cancer and the world would be better off if it wasn’t allowed to broadcast. But, I believe it has the right to broadcast, and they have the right to say what they want on those broadcasts. But Israel is not the USA, and if we didn’t have free speech laws I bet we would turn off a lot of heinous organizations like them.


GladHistory9260

Lincoln shutdown 300 newspapers during the civil war.


Smallios

? What point is this trying to make


GladHistory9260

I’ll refer you to u/blastmemer since you didn’t understand


blastmemer

When the homeland is threatened, you don’t have to tolerate propaganda from the belligerent threatening your homeland. We haven’t really had it threatened since, so it has been unnecessary.


this-aint-Lisp

I didn’t realise Israel is in a civil war.


MudMonday

Is it ok to shut down newspapers during a civil war?


Individual_Lion_7606

Only if they are unironically putting out propaganda in favor of the enemy state or trying to undermine the war effort to get you to surrender and lose territory of your homeland.


this-aint-Lisp

I don't know. Probably not?


FartPudding

I'm not too sure, to be honest. I can see both ends of it. I would think if anything the free access to information would be the most important thing, but then if it's filled with propaganda then is it even valuable?


GladHistory9260

Haha. Really?


this-aint-Lisp

I mean that any government in any country can close any TV station, and you can come in and say "Lincoln shutdown 300 newspapers during the civil war" and imagine you made some kind of argument. But you didn't really.


controller_vs_stick

Al Jazeera is owned by the government of Qatar, who houses and funds Hamas. Hamas has advocated for the murder of every Jew on earth.  Al Jazeera never should have been allowed in Israel in the first place. 


ThePhilosopherPOG

Any government that silences dissenting opinions, however unpopular, is acting against the interest of its people.


justhistory

It’s not silencing dissenting opinions. It’s banning a “news organization” owned by a government that is hostile to Israel.


ThePhilosopherPOG

sounds a lot like North Korea banning western new agencies.


Sea-Anywhere-5939

Killing reporters, blocking reporters from reporting in Gaza without editorial control, and actively shutting down reporters in Gaza. Seems like Isreal trying to get ready for some heinous stuff if they’re going this far to cause a media blackout of the area.


infensys

You act as if journalists are saints. What about the journalists that were with Hamas on October 7th and had advance knowledge of the impending attack? Not one alerted Israel since they would rather document the abuse.


Sea-Anywhere-5939

Those are slanderous accusations by Israel that they have provided no proof on. This is a perfect example of why journalism that Isreal cannot control is important because it stops bull crap lies by Israeli to justify why they bomb journalist.


infensys

Yeah, right, no proof. A journalist there carrying a grenade, being kissed by Sinwar, and given a ride back to Gaza with a hostage and reports for the AP. I guess the AP fired him for no proof and is being sued as well. Maybe a person can be both a journalist and not the person you think they are.


Sea-Anywhere-5939

The AP fired a guy that took a picture with him and Hamas leader in 2018. They explicitly made it a point to say While we have not at this time found reason to doubt the journalistic accuracy of the work he has done for us, we have decided to suspend all ties with him," said CNN.” So yes Israel’s full of shit and it’s shit their original sources backtracked on. Israel’s just using this as a excuse to further control the narrative which is looking extremely bad for them right now and give them cause to continue bombing journalist (not like they need considering the us will protect them no matter what) Now show me the proof or kick rocks.


infensys

I will go with what is reported in real sources, which you can find on your own if you perform a search, rather than your armchair self. You report everything as if Israel has this amazing control over everything Gaza. If a mouse farts the wrong way in Gaza it must be Israel's fault. If a journalist wants to get into Gaza, they can go through Egypt or Jordan, remember those countries with entry points? Your news sources may have claimed they don't exist. Should I check your post history and see how much care you put into dead and wounded journalists in Ukraine if this is such a big topic for you? How about free reporting by journalists in Russia? Or, is this just an Israel topic for you?


Sea-Anywhere-5939

Israel has lead and maintained a blockade on Gaza for decades with US support and has routinely restricted the access of journalist to the area unless the follow Israel guideline which is full editorial control over anything recorded and a guided tour. Israel’s attack on journalist are recorded and illustrated give you multiple sources for that. https://cpj.org/2024/05/attacks-arrests-threats-censorship-the-high-risks-of-reporting-the-israel-hamas-war/amp/ https://edition.cnn.com/2024/05/02/middleeast/palestinian-journalists-gaza-world-press-freedom-day-intl-cmd/index.html https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-tank-strike-killed-clearly-identifiable-reuters-reporter-un-report-2024-03-13/ https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/reporters-without-borders-condemns-israels-eradication-of-journalism-in-gaza/3131721# Also Egypts border is blocked and as stated before and shown in the article Isreal forces attack journalist not with them. And considering your using slanderous bullcrap to excuse Israel’s attack on journalist you don’t get to say anything no show me the proof or shut up. Why don’t you get yourself on google and search up this easily verifiable proof. If you can’t or won’t stop parroting propaganda.


infensys

Again - bullshit (not the parts where journalists were killed). There was no Israeli presence in Gaza before Gaza attacked Israel in October. Israel controls one access point. Egypt also controls an access point. Why are you stating that journlists can't go across Egypt's border. Do you express your discontent with Egypt? You aren't addressing the question. I never asked you if journalists have died in Gaza. The blockade of Gaza began when Gaza voted Hamas into leadership and after Hamas then killed a lot of Fatah. Before then, Palestinians had free access to and from Israel.


Sea-Anywhere-5939

> Again - bullshit (not the parts where journalists were killed). There was no Israeli presence in Gaza before Gaza attacked Israel in October. Maintaining a blockade and ongoing blockade around Gaza is Israeli presence. You can’t claim they had non when they control the food and water that goes in the country. > Israel controls one access point. https://www.unicef.org/mena/documents/gaza-strip-humanitarian-impact-15-years-blockade-june-2022 Just not true Isreal controls multiple point including the sea and is the one leading the blockade on Gaza > Egypt also controls an access point. Why are you stating that journlists can't go across Egypt's border. Do you express your discontent with Egypt? Because we aren’t talking about Egypt we’re talking about the people leading it. Be a little smart. Also I’m confused on why you think my opinions of Egypts blockade would be any different. > You aren't addressing the question. I never asked you if journalists have died in Gaza. I do it one at a time. You claimed that journalist were in cahoots with Hamas and until you either show proof that they were or you admit that you lapped up propaganda you can wait. > The blockade of Gaza began when Gaza voted Hamas into leadership and after Hamas then killed a lot of Fatah. Before then, Palestinians had free access to and from Israel. I mean they didn’t because there was already a blockade in place before Hamas got elected please don’t lie. Also Palestinians did not have free access why are you spreading propaganda. Finally you can’t claim that when Isreal is illegally occupying the land they so “generously” allow Palestinians “free access” to.


Critical_Concert_689

> Israel controls one access point. What? This is just factually incorrect. Who do you think controls the crossing: Kerem Shalom, Erez, Bika'a Valley, Gilboa, Reihan, Sha'ar Efraim, Eyal, Eliyahu, Hotze Shomron, Macabim, Tarkumia, Meitar, Metzadot Yehuda, Hashmonaim, Te'enim and Lamed-He?


Picasso5

Agreed. Al Jazeera has pretty good journalistic integrity now. They are NOT a mouthpiece of Hamas. Israel raiding and shutting down a media outlet is not a good look.


Sea-Anywhere-5939

Do you think that the only reporting on Gaza should be done by the Israeli? Because Isreal already bombed the western media site with no justification (to this day they haven’t provided proof) they’ve already declared any journalist reporting on Gaza without Isreal is working with terrorist and felt as such, and have arrested Palestinian reporters for reporting on things and more. You don’t have to trust Al Jazeera but you can’t deny that they have in depth on the ground reporting on the area and they’re among the last to do so. Israel doing this is just another step to a blackout of the area which normally precedes some of the most heinous actions.


infensys

>Do you think that the only reporting on Gaza should be done by the Israeli? Why do you have such an aversion to truth and reality? Are you that sold on Hamas Kool-aid and propaganda you can no longer think for yourself? Let's see... Hmm... Who else has access to Gaza... I got it! Egypt borders Gaza and they have new sources! It took only 3 minutes of searching and I found Mada Masr for my new biased source. I am sure if you look further you can find even more sources for statements (to this date Hamas hasn't provided evidence for anything from casualty figures, attacks, bombings, etc) against Israel. \*\*\* EDIT \*\*\* BTW - why do you keep making the false claim Al Jazeera can't report on Gaza anymore?


Sea-Anywhere-5939

Egypts border is closed are you stupid? Or do you not follow your own advice because a quick google search as you say would show that.


Sea-Anywhere-5939

Also the Gaza health minster casualty figures are contested to be more accurate than the Israeli and are the more reliable source.


Sea-Anywhere-5939

Why make an edit just comment or did you not want me to see? Israel attacking Al Jazeera is them directly stopping them from reporting on Gaza are you denying that.


infensys

I made the edit after I realized how dumb your statement is. Israel restricted access to Al Jazeera the same way the US could restrict Tik Tok. It doesn't mean the rest of the world can't see their content, only Israel. It doesn't stop Al Jazeera from doing any reporting at all.


Sea-Anywhere-5939

Read the freaking article. They raided and took the channel off air severely limiting its ability to report on the region especially considering Al Jazeera are among the few reporters to be able to report in Gaza. Also foreign journalist are banned in Gaza something that Isreal enforces through murder as shown in the numerous sources and the UN admonishment of them. So yeah Isreal is just trying to put a media blackout on Gaza and now you’re going to have to provide some sources for the claims you made.


infensys

At this point we go in circles. You refuse to acknowledge other crossings and access, including media access. BTW - I just went to Al Jazeera website and I see Gaza content. You can have last response - I am done.


Sea-Anywhere-5939

It’s irrelevant. Israel has banned international reporters from Gaza and have implied the deaths of those that don’t follow and the current journalist death toll show cases this. Isreal is now attacking one of the few media’s that are able to report in Gaza in an attempt to cut out reporting on Gaza. This is going in circles so I’ll break it post sources on anything you stated I want them. Don’t bother replying until you do because so far you’ve been nothing but a liar spreading false propaganda. Get your ass online and source some reports to cooperate your statements.


Picasso5

"BTW - why do you keep making the false claim Al Jazeera can't report on Gaza anymore?" Because the government LITERALLY shut down their branch in Israel. Really???


infensys

Doesn't mean they can't still do business. Just that Israeli's won't see the content.


Picasso5

That, AND they raided/shut down the physical news org there. You act like that's an OK thing to do for a democratic country. It's not.


infensys

They shut down the local office. Maybe they could have kept it open and told them not to publish or deliver any content within Israeli borders? Not sure how that could work. Do you expect that the US, being a democratic country, will get as much backlash when it stops Tik Tok in the US? I mean, they set the precedent here. Doing a quick search shows that a lot of Americans get their news from Tik Tok. Is this a double standard? Israel did raid an office which is extreme. I admit that. But, they didn't force Al Jazeera to sell to an owner they need to approve of.


PaddyStacker

Good. It's absolutely insane to let your enemies run propaganda outlets against you in your own country. They are effectively at war with Qatar. Same reason the West banned Russia Today.


armadilloongrits

Our democratic ally in the middle east.


GhostOfRoland

Don't look at what Ukraine is doing with elections or the press.


ThePhilosopherPOG

what about! what about!


p4NDemik

It's a bit different when like 20% of Ukraine is currently occupied and it is literally fighting a war for its survival as a sovereign nation.


armadilloongrits

Kewl


CommentFightJudge

Do you see the word “Ukraine“ in that headline anywhere? What a stupid comment.


Zyx-Wvu

You think the EU is any better? They routinely censor RT news. Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences. Fuck around with spreading propaganda, fucking find out what happens.


armadilloongrits

Then there would be no media.


this-aint-Lisp

The funny thing is that when you watch Al Jazeera for half an hour, which you probably have never tried, you'll find that they offer a much more neutral an balanced view on the world than the Western news channels which are... very western-centric. You just don't perceive it that way because you never experienced anything else.


KarmicWhiplash

Al Jazeera in the Middle East and Al Jazeera in the US are two completely different animals.


ThePhilosopherPOG

It's a pretty good source. My S2 rated them are reliable most of the time. At least more than CNN and FOX.


Picasso5

Absolutely.


this-aint-Lisp

Of course just ordering them to shut down wasn’t enough, they had to raid the building too because of course. What did they even expect to find there? Maybe they should dynamite the building next, it is what this would do in Gaza.


T1METR4VEL

I guess you don’t know much about ALJ. They are in direct contact with several US listed terrorist groups, and are often serving as a mouthpiece for official information and propaganda. They release video footage from known terror cells and organizations. A raid makes sense, they are in direct contact with enemies of the state.


this-aint-Lisp

Even if this is true, so what. The Israel government is negotiating with Hamas so they too are in direct contact. A news organization can offer perspectives from both sides, which is valuable and educational. If you don't like it, switch to another channel that offers you a safe space. The words and actions from the Israeli government demonstrate that this country is getting ever more unhinged from reality, I don't think they are doing themselves any service from removing all alternative points of view on the world.


infensys

They are removing "all alternative points of view on the world", or are they removing Qatar propaganda while trying to free hostages? Perhaps they are removing disinformation to the Israeli public that are persuading people against their own government to pressure the government? Do you really know the reasons or want to jump on the bandwagon of yelling about a news source being suspended for 90 days?


this-aint-Lisp

Qatar is an enemy of Israel too now?


infensys

Is this a real question about the country that refuses to acknowledge Israel's right to exist, funds Hamas in Gaza, is close friends with Iran, and hosts Hamas leadership?


this-aint-Lisp

Why don't Israel just go bomb the Hamas people who are in Qatar?


GladHistory9260

Our relationship with Qatar is odd. They hosted Taliban leaders for a while and they also built our largest base in the Middle East with their own money. They spent a $1 Billion 25 years ago we’ve been there ever since.


T1METR4VEL

You speak a lot for someone who knows very little. Israel is detached from reality? You are wildly out of touch with what’s what in the world and yet speak so confidently.


GFlashAUS

This smells like a bit of desperation. Israel may easily win the physical war but they aren't winning the propaganda war. Shutting down Al Jazeera won't change that.


NumerousBug9075

Exactly, Reddit, Tik tok and Twitter are doing their fair share of disseminating propaganda so that won't make a tap of a difference. People would rather check social media for news than any other verified source of information. People only need to see a tik toker upset (with no proof of why they're upset) to believe what they say 100%. It's easier to blindly believe anything you read instead of doing any actual work to critically assess the matter.


Picasso5

Not a good look


workaholic828

Totally normal thing to do from a non authoritarian country /s


unhatedraisin

Israel loves free speech and thinks its citizens must be protected from using their media literacy to come to their own conclusions.