Israel says revoking press credentials of Al Jazeera journalists

Israel announced on Thursday it was revoking the press credentials of Al Jazeera journalists working in the country, four months after shutting down the Qatari television network.

"The Government Press Office (GPO) is revoking the (press) cards of Al Jazeera journalists working in Israel," it said in a statement.

"This is a media outlet that disseminates false content, which includes incitement against Israelis and Jews, and constitutes a threat to (Israeli) soldiers", the statement quoted press office director Nitzan Chen as saying.

A source close to the case told AFP that for the time being, the decision is to be applied to four full-time Al Jazeera journalists who are either Israeli citizens or Palestinian residents of annexed east Jerusalem.

The remainder of Al Jazeera staff in the country, mainly video producers and photographers who the government considers not to be actively producing content, will retain their Israeli press cards.

The GPO press card is not mandatory for working as a journalist in Israel, but without it, it is virtually impossible to access the Israeli parliament or government ministries or gain access to military infrastructure.

The GPO is affiliated with the prime minister's office and in charge of accrediting journalists working in Israel.

When contacted by AFP, Al Jazeera's bureau chief for Israel and Palestinian territories, Walid Omary, said the network had not been informed of the latest Israeli decision.

"When we receive (the notification officially), we will see," Omary said.

The Israeli military has repeatedly accused journalists from the Qatari network of being "terrorist agents" in Gaza affiliated with Hamas or its ally, Islamic Jihad.

Al Jazeera denies the Israeli government's accusations and claims that Israel systematically targets its employees in the Gaza Strip. 

Law against foreign media 

Four of its staff members have been killed since the war in Gaza began on Oct. 7 after Hamas militants attacked southern Israel.

Fourteen Al Jazeera staff members, all Israeli citizens, currently have Israeli government press cards, Omary said in a text message on a journalists' WhatsApp group.

The Israeli parliament passed a law in early April allowing the banning of foreign media broadcasts deemed harmful to state security.

Based on this law, the Israeli government approved on May 5 the decision to ban the channel from broadcasting from Israel and close its offices for a renewable 45-day period, which was extended for a fourth time by a Tel Aviv court on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government has had a long-running feud with Al Jazeera that has worsened since the Gaza war began.

"There will be no freedom of speech for the Hamas trumpets in Israel," Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi said in May.

"Al Jazeera will be closed immediately and the equipment will be confiscated."

The shutdown did not affect broadcasts from the Israeli-occupied West Bank or the Gaza Strip, from which Al Jazeera still covers Israel's war with Palestinian militants.