Anti-journalistic policy
Israel historically has had a high rate of journalists killed in conflicts it is involved in, mainly in occupied Palestinian territories, such as Gaza. Recently, the count for killed journalists and media workers in the 2023/2024 Israel-Gaza war has reached 89, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Even before the war, notable examples of journalists killed in peace time include Shireen Abu Akleh in 2022, and Yaser Murtaja in 2018.
The action taken to take Al Jazeera in Israel off-air does not stray from this trend, except in that it is of a less violent variety, with no reported deaths or injuries, although we don't have independent reports as the BBC has not been able to enter the location of a reported raid:
Israel's Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi said equipment had been taken in the raid.
A video posted by the minister on X shows police officers and inspectors from the ministry entering a hotel room.
A BBC team visited the scene, but was prevented from filming or going into the hotel by police.
Statements from Al Jazeera, in a BBC article:
In a statement, Al Jazeera said: "Netanyahu could not find any justifications to offer the world for his ongoing attacks on Al Jazeera and press freedom except to present new lies and inflammatory slanders against the Network and the rights of its employees.
"Al Jazeera holds the Israeli Prime Minister responsible for the safety of its staff and Network premises around the world, following his incitement and this false accusation in a disgraceful manner."
The channel has accused Israel of deliberately targeting its staff. Journalists including Hamza Al-Dahdouh, the son of Al Jazeera Gaza bureau chief Wael Al-Dahdouh, have been killed by Israeli strikes. Israel denies targeting journalists.
Anti-Arab bias
Israel is known to treat Arabs (whether Israeli citizens or not) and specifically Palestinians differently and with greater restrictions than others, including non-Arab Israeli citizens. It is likely that this is a significant factor, as Al Jazeera is an Arab media organisation, both in funding and ownership, and likely in terms of ethnicities employed.
Human Rights Watch (2021):
Across these areas and in most aspects of life, Israeli authorities methodically privilege Jewish Israelis and discriminate against Palestinians. Laws, policies, and statements by leading Israeli officials make plain that the objective of maintaining Jewish Israeli control over demographics, political power, and land has long guided government policy. In pursuit of this goal, authorities have dispossessed, confined, forcibly separated, and subjugated Palestinians by virtue of their identity to varying degrees of intensity. In certain areas, as described in this report, these deprivations are so severe that they amount to the crimes against humanity of apartheid and persecution.
Council on Foreign Relations (Oct 26th 2023):
Today, Arab citizens of Israel—distinct from Arabs living in the West Bank and Gaza Strip—remain the country’s largest minority group.
They have the same legal rights as Jewish citizens, but many continue to face discrimination and socioeconomic disadvantages. Meanwhile, the two communities are divided by the long-running Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as well as religious and cultural differences. A flare-up of intercommunal violence in 2021 highlighted that the simmering tensions can sometimes boil over.
Indirect retaliation against Qatar for unofficially supporting Hamas
Qatar is known to be a harbour of safety for Hamas leadership against attempts of assassination by Israel, as has been conducted against some Hamas leadership in Lebanon. Al Jazeera is also funded in part by the Qatari government, and Israel does not have warm relations with Qatar, especially recently. Israel knows that shutting down the Al Jazeera office in Israel will harm Qatar and this would form part of the reason for their action against Al Jazeera.
It's not just Al Jazeera
According to the BBC:
Israel has previously banned a smaller Lebanese channel, Al Mayadeen, from operating in the country.
Accusations of anti-Israeli bias
Israel has previously accused Al Jazeera of anti-Israeli bias. Coupled with this, Israel recently passed laws allowing the shutdown of foreign media broadcasters under the basis of national security (BBC article).
For years, Israeli officials have accused the network of anti-Israeli bias.
Their criticisms of the broadcaster have intensified since the 7 October Hamas attacks on southern Israel, in which about 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 were taken hostage. Some 128 of those hostages are still unaccounted for, with at least 34 presumed dead.
...
Last month, the Israeli parliament passed a law giving the government power to temporarily close foreign broadcasters considered a threat to national security during the war against Hamas.
And in another article:
For years, Israeli officials have accused the network of anti-Israeli bias. But their criticisms of the broadcaster have intensified since the Hamas attacks of 7 October. Authorities claim it has close links with Hamas, which Al Jazeera vehemently denies.
BBC published an article on 1st April about Israel's intent:
The Israeli parliament has approved a law giving the government the power to ban broadcasts of TV channels including Al Jazeera, the Qatari-owned network.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would "act immediately" to close the network's local office.
The US expressed concern over the move.
Furthermore, the ban is temporary, and would have to be renewed:
The ban would be in place for a period of 45 days at a time, which could be renewed. The law would stay in force until July or until the end of significant fighting in Gaza.
