5 things to know about Al Jazeera
The Israeli military acknowledged in a statement targeting correspondent Anas al-Sharif, accusing him of being a "terrorist" affiliated with Hamas.
Here are five things to know about the Arab media giant, which has been at odds with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's administration since well before Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza started on 7 October 2023.
1. Founded by decree
Al Jazeera was launched in Doha in 1996 by a decree issued by the former emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani.
While stipulating that the channel should be "totally independent of all influences", the decree also provided a $150m (€130m) government loan for "setting it up and covering its operating costs for five years".
Though Al Jazeera Media Network is a private business, the broadcaster has retained some Qatari government funding, which its critics often cite when questioning its editorial independence from Doha.
The broadcaster immediately emerged as a rival to international media giants but its no-holds-barred coverage as the self-described "first independent news channel in the Arab world" also sparked a series of legal disputes in the region in its early years.
2. Global reach
The channel says it operates in 95 countries with 70 bureaus and a staff of 3,000 employees, with a global audience of more than 430 million homes.
Al Jazeera, the network's initial Arabic-language news channel, was joined in 2006 by an English service.
Al Jazeera and Al Jazeera English, the network's flagship channels, have distinct editorial lines with the Arabic-language channel more frequently facing criticism from within the region.
The network also includes a live public affairs channel, Al Jazeera Mubasher, and its digital-only AJ+ channel, which targets young audiences.
3. Airtime for dissidents
When a wave of popular uprisings swept the Middle East and North Africa in 2011, Al Jazeera was seen as a key shaper of public opinion because it gave unprecedented airtime to opposition groups, most notably the Muslim Brotherhood.
The network has repeatedly rejected any accusation of bias in its coverage.
Al Jazeera faced pressure from governments across the region and became the focus of feud between Cairo and Doha after the 2013 military ouster of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood president Mohamed Morsi.
Cairo considered it a mouthpiece for Morsi's Islamist movement and Egyptian authorities arrested three Al Jazeera journalists, including Australian Peter Greste, provoking international condemnation.
4. Regional blockade
In 2017, Qatar's neighbours, led by Saudi Arabia, imposed a three-year diplomatic and economic blockade on the Gulf monarchy.
As well as demanding Qatar cut ties with the Muslim Brotherhood and its sister organisation Hamas, and downgrade relations with Iran, the boycotting states also called for the closure of Al Jazeera and all its affiliates.
The channel called the pressure an attempt to "silence freedom of expression".
5. On the ground in Gaza
Since war broke out in Gaza on 7 October 2023 triggered by Hamas's attack on Israel, Al Jazeera has aired continuous on-the-ground reporting of Israel's military campaign and its consequences.
Its broadcasts have been among the most watched in the Middle East amid widespread disenchantment with Western media coverage regarded as skewed in Israel's favour.
In April 2024, Mr Netanyahu called Al Jazeera a "terrorist channel", saying he would "act immediately" to halt its activities after parliament passed a law allowing the banning of media broadcasts deemed harmful to national security.
The law was used to ban Al Jazeera from broadcasting from Israel as of 5 May 2024 and to close its offices in the country in a temporary but renewable measure. Israel later moved to revoke the press credentials of some Al Jazeera journalists.
The network has decried a "criminal" violation of "the human right to access information".
Since the start of the Gaza war, Al Jazeera's office in the besieged Palestinian territory has been bombed and a number of its staff have been killed.
Israel has repeatedly accused Al Jazeera journalists, including those killed or injured in strikes, of "terrorism" links or collaborating with Hamas.
Al Jazeera has fiercely denied the allegations and accused Israel of systematically targeting its employees in Gaza.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Journal
2 hours ago
- The Journal
Mary Robinson warns governments are 'increasingly complicit in genocide' after visiting Gaza border
FORMER PRESIDENT MARY Robinson has issued a stark warning that governments failing to act decisively to stop the humanitarian crisis in Gaza are 'increasingly complicit' in the suffering of Palestinians in the region. Robinson, along with other members of The Elders, an independent group of global leaders and advocates, visited the Rafah border crossing in Egypt this week, where she said they witnessed firsthand the devastating conditions in Gaza. 'Governments that are not using all the tools at their disposal to halt the unfolding genocide in Gaza are increasingly complicit,' Robinson said. 'Political leaders have the power and the legal obligation to apply measures to pressure this Israeli government to end its atrocity crimes.' Her remarks come amid continued obstruction by Israel of humanitarian aid entering Gaza, which dozens of aid groups have said is causing mass starvation and widespread suffering. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has described the situation as 'man-made mass starvation,' with over 222 people, including 101 children, having died from malnutrition since the war began. Health facilities in Gaza have been systematically destroyed, leaving children facing acute malnutrition without effective treatment. Official reports show at least 36 children starved to death in July alone. During the visit to the Rafah crossing with Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Robinson said they witnessed aid supplies being blocked from entering Gaza. Mary Robinson and Helen Clark pictured in Egypt. The Elders The Elders She also recalled accounts of Palestinian civilians, including children, being killed while trying to access desperately needed food and medical help. Advertisement She stressed the urgent need for all border crossings — including the critical Rafah crossing — to be opened immediately to allow aid to reach those trapped inside Gaza. 'This is all the more urgent given Prime Minister Netanyahu's plan to take over Gaza City,' she said. 'President Trump has the leverage to compel a change of course. He must use it now.' 'A significant proportion of manifested trucks are turned away with vital supplies. The world needs to know... This has to stop.' Mary Robinson and @HelenClarkNZ witness the devastating reality at the closed Rafah border with Gaza. — The Elders (@TheElders) August 12, 2025 Clark highlighted the collapsing health system, noting a dramatic 40% drop in Gaza's birth rate in the first half of 2025, as women lack safe places to give birth and mothers struggle to feed their newborns. Robinson has previously spoken of the 'utter urgency' for a ceasefire and the need for a political solution alongside humanitarian aid. Speaking to RTÉ's Morning Ireland last month, she said Ireland 'need[s] the political approach and we need that to be a turning point.' She condemned Israel's refusal to apologise for the deaths of over 17,000 children in Gaza, calling the government's actions 'unconscionable' and their policies 'dehumanising' Palestinians. More than 100 humanitarian groups have echoed these concerns, warning that food, water, and medical supplies remain blocked at Gaza's borders even as starvation spreads. The Elders, founded by Nelson Mandela, have called for immediate ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas, with the release of all Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners held arbitrarily by Israel. The activist group also urged international recognition of the State of Palestine by at least 20 more countries, including EU and G7 members, ahead of a pivotal UN conference in New York next month. Targeted sanctions against Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and his security cabinet have also been demanded, alongside suspension of preferential trade agreements with Israel by EU member states. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Examiner
2 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Irish people 'complicit in genocide' if Occupied Territories Bill not enacted, Taoiseach told
Members of the public told the Taoiseach Irish people would be 'complicit in genocide' if the Government did not enact the Occupied Territories Bill and stop the sale of Israeli bonds. New documents released to the Irish Examiner under Freedom of Information (FOI) laws show Micheál Martin was implored to fully ban imports from illegally occupied Palestinian territories. Just one email, out of a sample of 50 pieces of correspondence released, asked Mr Martin not to pass the legislation, urging him to consider 'making a political statement at the expense of real Irish workers'. The Government is progressing legislation that will ban the importation of goods from Israeli settlements in Palestine. The plans, approved by Cabinet in May, have been criticised by the opposition for not going far enough as it does not include services. Correspondence sent to the Taoiseach showed members of the public calling for the Occupied Territories Bill to be passed. One writer said 'diplomatic pressure has been put on the Government by the Americans and other Israel-aligned groups to scupper the bill'. 'But this is not the time for kowtowing to other countries' special interest groups. This is the time for clear and decisive moral action — the display of a little national dignity and backbone,' they added. Another person said the Government had 'left it too late' and should have implemented it before Donald Trump was re-elected US president. 'Stop kowtowing to this maniac, will make no difference,' they said. Another person called on the Government to 'enact the OT Bill now' and 'do whatever you can with trade embargo's' [sic]. 'As an Irish person, I am now complicit in a genocide because we are not doing enough,' they said. Another writer told Mr Martin that 'economic considerations should be set aside'. However, one concerned worker urged the Government to reconsider, adding they worked for a US multinational and expressed concerns about the impacts it would have. 'While I understand and respect the desire to express strong moral stances, it is my view that policies should be crafted with careful consideration of their practical consequences,' they said. As a citizen who cannot afford the luxury of symbolic gestures at the cost of real jobs and investment, I am asking you to reconsider the approach being taken. 'Ireland has always been proud to lead with its values on the world stage. However, the Occupied Territories Bill risks making a political statement at the expense of real Irish workers — people like me who rely on US-Ireland business relationships for our families' security.' The public also called on the Taoiseach to stop the facilitation of Israeli war bonds through the Central Bank of Ireland. The Government has stated this cannot be done under EU treaties. The Government voted against a Sinn Féin motion to end the sales. This led to further correspondence being sent to Mr Martin. Several writers said the Government was 'complicit' in Israel's genocide by not stopping the bond sales. 'Our Government's passive complicity is a stain on our proud history of standing against oppression,' one person said. Another wrote: 'While the Irish Government mostly say the right words, it's your actions — or inactions — that speak the real truth."
RTÉ News
3 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Elders group of global leaders warns of Gaza 'genocide'
The Elders group of international stateswomen and statesmen for the first time have called the situation in Gaza an "unfolding genocide", saying that Israel's obstruction of aid was causing a "famine". "Today we express our shock and outrage at Israel's deliberate obstruction of the entry of life-saving humanitarian aid into Gaza," the non-governmental group of public figures, founded by former South Africa president Nelson Mandela in 2007, said in a statement after delegates visited border crossings in Egypt. "What we saw and heard underlines our personal conviction that there is not only an unfolding, human-caused famine in Gaza. There is an unfolding genocide," it added. Helen Clark, former prime minister of New Zealand, called on Israel to open the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza so aid could be delivered, after visiting the site. "Many new mothers are unable to feed themselves or their newborn babies adequately, and the health system is collapsing," she said. "All of this threatens the very survival of an entire generation." Ms Clark was joined by Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, on the visit. She said that international leaders "have the power and the legal obligation to apply measures to pressure this Israeli government to end its atrocity crimes". "A significant proportion of manifested trucks are turned away with vital supplies. The world needs to know... This has to stop." Mary Robinson and @HelenClarkNZ witness the devastating reality at the closed Rafah border with Gaza. — The Elders (@TheElders) August 12, 2025 Call for ceasefire, hostage release The delegation "saw evidence of food and medical aid denied entry, and heard witness accounts of the killing of Palestinian civilians, including children, while trying to access aid inside Gaza," said the statement. They urged Israel and Hamas to agree a ceasefire and for the immediate release of remaining Israeli hostages being held in Gaza. The London-based group also called for the "recognition of the State of Palestine", but added "this will not halt the unfolding genocide and famine in Gaza". "Transfers of arms and weapons components to Israel must be suspended immediately," it added, saying Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be sanctioned. Israel has faced mounting criticism over the 22-month-long war with Hamas, with United Nations-backed experts warning of widespread famine unfolding in besieged Gaza. Mr Netanyahu is under mounting pressure to secure the release of the remaining hostages, as well as over his plans to expand the war, which he has vowed to do with or without the backing of Israel's allies. Hamas's 2023 attack on Israel, which triggered the war, resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Israel's offensive has killed at least 61,499 Palestinians, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, whose toll the UN considers reliable.
