Israel looking to shut down Al Jazeera | IsraelAM for 6-13-17

Closing Al Jazeera
As part of the Arab boycott of Qatar, Jordan and Saudi Arabia have closed down the offices of Al Jazeera, the Qatari TV news network. Now Israel might take the opportunity to do the same.

There have been numerous calls to close Al Jazeera’s offices in the country over the last few years because of the network’s negative coverage of Israel. But concerns that such a move would be a PR disaster for Israel, and since most of Al Jazeera’s 34 employees are Israeli Arabs have prevented the government from doing so.

Yesterday Defense Minister Lieberman remarked, “Israel, along with the Arab states, sees Al Jazeera as a danger, a media body similar to those in Nazi Germany.” But since Israel, unlike the Arab states, is a democracy, closing down a press organization is not so easy. The Israel branch of Al Jazeera is expected to take its case to the Supreme Court if the government sets it down.

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Hamas Busted
The secretary-general of the Red Crescent Society of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed Ateeq Al-Falahi, accused Hamas of sabotaging the organizations distribution of humanitarian aid during the 2014 Gaza War by firing rockets at Israel from a hospital, which provoked an Israel attack against the missile source.

This is the first time that an Arab source has admitted that Hamas used the hospital as a launching pad for its missiles. Apparently Hamas had accused the UAE Red Crescent of being spies for foreign intelligence services.

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Israeli Hacking
According to a recent NY Times article, the information allegedly revealed by President Trump to the Russian foreign minister and ambassador during a meeting in the White House was related to the Israeli hacking of an ISIS cell that was planning on using explosives in laptops to attempt to blow up planes. While this leaking of sensitive information might have compromised the Israeli operation, intelligence Minister Israel Katz remarked that under Trump, “the intelligence ties between Israel and the US have been deepened and expanded, and there is definitely cooperation.”

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Super Sabra
You’re most likely aware that one of the most beloved comic book super heroes, Wonder Woman, is Israeli. Model and actress Gal Gadot stars in the Hollywood blockbuster recently released. Whether you like the movie or not (what’s not to like?) you have to give Hollywood credit for picking an Israeli to star in it.

You gotta believe that there were other beautiful brunettes they could have chosen who could have played the role without all of the political baggage that comes with having an IDF veteran at the top of the playbill. But the producers ignored the political fallout and the risk of losing revenue in some Arab countries, gave the BDS movement a huge slap in the face, and hired the woman they felt was best for the part regardless (or perhaps because of) her national origins. So bravo to Hollywood and best of luck to the greatest super hero in the world!