Al Jazeera condemns Israeli ban extension, calls for its immediate lifting

Qatar-based media network calls move ‘assault’ on press freedom, warns of ‘dangerous pattern’ that undermines ability of news organisations to report.Published On 2 Nov 20262 Nov 2026Al Jazeera Media Network has strongly condemned the Israeli authorities’ decision to extend a ban on its operations in Israel for another 90 days, including the suspension of its broadcasts, the closure of its offices and the restriction of access to its websites and digital platforms.In a statement on Monday, the Qatar-based network said it considered the move “an assault” on press freedom and the public’s right to information, warning it set “a dangerous pattern that undermines the ability of news organisations to report the facts and hold those in power to account”.It came after a court in Tel Aviv approved last week the Israeli government’s decision to extend the ban for a further 90 days.⁣In May 2024, at the height of Israel’s genocidal war against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet had voted to shut Al Jazeera’s operations in Israel. The decision, which was strongly criticised by press freedom groups, followed the passage of a law by the Israeli parliament...