Danes to Israel: Don't shut down Al-Jazeera's bureau

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Danes to Israel: Don't shut down Al-Jazeera's bureau

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Aug 9, 2017, 10:19 AM ET

Danish journalists are urging Israel not to shutter the Qatari-owned Al-Jazeera satellite network's Jerusalem office.

The Danish Union of Journalists appealed to Israel's ambassador "to do whatever is in your power to keep open the lines from Al-Jazeera to Israel."

Lars Werge, head of the union, said in a letter Wednesday to Ambassador Baruk Binah that "it is not in the interests of your fellow Israeli citizens to reduce the freedom of the press."

Israel said this week it would close the TV station's bureau, revoke its journalists' press credentials and block its transmission.

Saudi Arabia and Jordan have shut the network's offices. Its websites and channels were also blocked in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Egypt banned Al-Jazeera when the military came to power in 2013.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/danes-israel-shut-al-jazeeras-bureau-49113223

[procon]

1. Truth to power?

Al-Jazeera often has the only news teams covering events in the Middle East. They were there, broadcasting live throughout the chaotic protests of the Arab Spring. Did they also shutter the likes of Fox news who will only air puppies and rainbows propaganda when it comes to delivering their rightwing flavored glop?

If they have nothing to hide and proudly standby their actions, Israel should welcome any journalists, even ones from Fox.

[Igel]

4. It's a tough call.

Let's say that RT was the only broadcaster in the Donbas covering events there.

Would we call supporting it supporting "freedom of the press"?

Not everything RT says is false. Most is just badly skewed by omitting part of the story or is already a negative story ("Hurricane Katrina knocks out power and US isn't prepared!&quot .

I've heard calls here for banning RT. Like I said, tough call: An informed citizenry should be able to see past it, but for years RT had a decent viewership at DU because it was believed. Chemtrails and other CTs had a good run. Getting people to actually read the words said instead of imputing the meaning already assumed is a difficult enough challenge.

We have people who assume that people can't be trusted to make dietary decisions. So of course we have people assume people can't be trusted to make other kinds of decisions. Tough call where to draw the line.

I go for not restricting the press. But also against the government deciding what is true and isn't. It means manipulation by other countries or even by a group native to the US could easily sow a bit of chaos. People do that; I put the onus not on those doing what we expect and skewing the news, but on those who avidly swallow it and revel in it and make it profitable in any sense.

Does Bat Boy still live?

[aranthus]

2. Why didn't ABC publish the reason for this?

Does anyone seriously think that Israel randomly bans the press for no reason? Does anyone think that the Israelis ban the press simply because they print something unfavorable (as opposed to publishing in favor of ending the state)? If that were true, then there would be many others banned. It isn't that much of a stretch to figure that this has something to do with alleged Qatari support for terrorism, and the effort to get them to stop. Why didn't ABC publish that, or at least ask about it?

[Eugene]

3. Israel's accusations against Al Jazeera are published elsewhere.

The story here is a press group denouncing the action as bad policy.

BTW, its the Associated Press as reprinted by ABC.

______________________________________________________________________

From other outlets, Israel accuses Al Jazeera of incitement, saying that security comes before freedom of expression and that democracy has limits.

Israel says it will shut down Al Jazeera, accused of ‘incitement’ (Washington Post)

NETANYAHU BACKS PUSH TO SHUT DOWN AL JAZEERA'S ISRAEL OFFICES (Jerusalem Post)