Palestinian media reports that Fatah has banned the Al Jazeera satellite channel from operating in the West Bank, due to its coverage of recent clashes between Palestinian Authority forces and terrorist operatives in Jenin. Fatah, which dominates the Palestinian Authority, reportedly accuses the Qatari network «to describe the terrorist agents of Hamas and Islamic Jihad as resistance fighters and to promote extremism as the Islamic State does». This is a sensational decision given that Israel, along with Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt, have banned Al Jazeera due to the same allegations. We asked Irina Tsukerman national security and human rights lawyer, journalist and geopolitical analyst, and researcher at the Arabian Peninsula Institute and the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, to tell us what’s happening. «Al Jazeera Arabic revealed itself for what it has always been – the foreign policy instrument of the Qatari regime – when it covered the Palestinian Authority’s security operation in Jenin. Until recently, Arab governments were inclined to maintain ties with AJ due to his broad popularity. During the 2017 Gulf crisis, several states known as the “Counter-Terrorism Quartet” banned Al Jazeerabut coverage was resumed at the time of the Al Ula agreement, when theSaudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain they re-established diplomatic relations with Qatar. Although for a time Doha refrained from attacking them directly through its media conglomerate, Al Jazeera retained the characteristics that made it iconic and malignant: high-quality production, superficial appearance of different opinions, but also manipulation and leaks of news in conflict zones, publicizing terrorist organizations, and incendiary and provocative strategic coverage of targeted issues.”
The Qatari propaganda machine has revealed that it is much more concerned with gaining Iran’s support than with protecting the security or other interests of the Palestinian people.
«Yes, the controversy broke out due to the Palestinian Authority’s security operation to dislodge the Islamic Jihad Palestinian from Jenin. The terrorist organization, supported by Iran, had turned Jenin into a no-go zone even for Fatah, much less the Israelis. The situation was so serious that the US government asked Israel to provide the Palestinian Authority with weapons and other forms of security assistance. Al Jazeera, however, took sides in this conflict by ostensibly providing Islamic Jihad (PIJ) with strategic information about the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) plan of operation and siding with PIJ in its coverage of the operation, essentially attacking the PA for these measures.”
What was the consequence?
«This development has led the Palestinian Authority leadership to ban Al Jazeera in some parts of the West Bank, because the media is seen as a political operation engaged in information warfare and in favoring Iranian-backed terrorists and their sympathizers through the use of their platform. Until recently, when interests aligned, Fatah overlooked the fact that Al Jazeera had a favorable role towards the Muslim Brotherhood and even Hamas, but the hostile actions of Islamic Jihad they have crossed the threshold of temporary alliance against Israel and turned political differences into a legitimate threat to political stability in the West Bank.”
And what are the Iranians doing?
«After the heavy blows inflicted by Israel on Iran’s proxies, the Islamic Republic has focused its attention on realigning its militias and armed groups towards Jordan and the West Bank, with the aim of smuggling weapons and fighters and increasing ideological and political influence in vulnerable areas. This episode highlights that Al Jazeera is much more of an adversary weapon than just a BBC-style news spreader for the Middle East, and that Qatar consistently uses it to advance its own geopolitical and ideological interests that more often than not clash with the political and national security priorities and concerns of other regional powers. Furthermore, this incident demonstrates that Qatar and its media are hitmen serving Iran’s interests, even at the cost of other regional priorities, including their alleged narrow support for the Palestinian cause. The Palestinians and everyone else should take an example and stop using the enemy’s platform for information purposes in the region. The United States, in particular, should also be aware that, far from being a neutral regional mediator, Qatar is a pro-Iranian arsonist, using the numerous and well-funded tools at its disposal to sow chaos and entrench interests Iranians in the region. Even as the Iranian regime is under severe pressure due to a series of self-inflicted internal and external problems, Qatar is giving its proxies a lifeline with favorable propaganda.”
