★★★★★ 0/5

Arab states demand Qatar close al-Jazeera

Saudi Arabia & its Gulf allies issue 13 demands to Qatar to end trade and diplomatic embargo.

6
Leave a comment

Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies have demanded the closure of al-Jazeera network amongst 13 demands delivered to Qatar, as the price for lifting a two-week trade and diplomatic embargo.

The list was handed to Qatar by Kuwait, which is attempting to mediate in the crisis.

Saudi Arabia and the other nations, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt regard al-Jazeera as a propaganda tool for Islamists that also undermines support for their governments.

The US secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, said earlier this week that any demands made of Qatar had to be reasonable and actionable, in a sharp about-turn from US president’s Donald Trump’s backing for the embargo.

UK foreign secretary Boris Johnson said, “The UK calls upon the Gulf states to find a way of deescalating the situation and lifting the current embargo and restrictions which are having an impact on the everyday lives of people in the region.”

The acting managing director Giles Trendle said al-Jazeera was committed to continuing broadcasts, and that the network stood firm in providing “our usual comprehensive and impartial coverage of events around the world”.

Qatar insists it does not fund terrorists, and has previously said that the embargo is a punishment for following an independent foreign policy more sympathetic to the principles of the Arab spring than that of its neighbours.

Qatar has been given 10 days to comply.

al-Jazeera screens in Australia on Foxtel and in a news window on SBS & ABC News.

Source: Guardian

6 Responses

  2. I watch al-Jazeera on ABC News I like their news…and I find them impartial…I see no evidence of them pushing any particular agenda…??
    I also watch BBC News…don’t really understand what the issue is..

    1. They definitely have slants which some may not like (e.g. pro-Palestine) – but the beef SA has with AJ is mostly because they’re aren’t completely uncritical Arab cheerleaders.

    2. No Government likes to be held responsible for it’s actions and that’s a Journalist’s job. Less Journo’s, less scrutiny. Secrecy takes many forms, “On water matters”, “in the National interest”, “commercial-in-confidence” etc. At least we can still rely on Twitter for impartial news.

Leave a Reply