Arab News Japan

TOKYO: The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan (FCCJ) on Tuesday joined other media organizations around the world in condemning Israel’s decision to close the offices of broadcaster Al Jazeera.

A statement issued by the journalists’ club in Tokyo said, “Al-Jazeera is one of the last international media outlets still reporting from Gaza. Journalists for the network have faced ‘multiple threats’ during Israel’s ongoing war with Hamas.”

“The FCCJ joins the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and other international media and human rights’ watchdogs in condemning Israel’s decision.”

The FCCJ statement cited multiple news reports that Israeli police raided the Jerusalem office of the Qatar-based, state-funded broadcaster at the weekend, confiscating laptops and broadcasting equipment.

The ban follows the passing of a law on April 1 that permits the shutdown of foreign broadcasts that “harm in a real way” Israel’s security. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was quoted as saying, “It’s time to remove the Hamas mouthpiece from our country.”

Israel has accused Al Jazeera of revealing sensitive information about its military in the Gaza Strip. Al Jazeera, for its part, says Israel’s action “stands in contravention of international and humanitarian law,” adding that more than 140 Palestinian journalists have been killed since the beginning of the war on Gaza.

The FCCJ statement concluded: “The ban on Al Jazeera will do nothing to protect Israelis but will reinforce suspicions that the Israeli government is trying to hide its actions in Gaza. We strongly urge the government of Prime Minister Netanyahu to reverse the ban and do more to protect journalists and the work of the free media.”