Why Arab states are wrong to demand Qatar shut down Al-Jazeera as condition of resolving Gulf crisis
There is no taboo on anyone, including Israelis, Kurds, Egyptians, US Democrats and Republicans, and right- and left-wing activists from around the world
Arab consumers of news and commentary were upset this week to find out that Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt are demanding the closure of Al-Jazeera and its affiliate stations. The Kuwaiti leadership delivered a 13-point list of demands made by the four countries that have imposed a blockade on Qatar on charges that it supports terrorism.
Established in 1996 and staffed mostly by former BBC-trained professional reporters, Al-Jazeera was a breath of fresh air in a region that only understood news as the product of governments rather than the public’s right to know. Its motto – “the opinion and the counter opinion” – quickly won it huge audiences in an Arab world that was thirsty for any alternative to state-run television that had monopolised the airwaves for decades.
The network worked hard initially on presenting balanced programming with high journalistic standards. Audiences responded positively, and the satellite channel quickly became and continues to be the No. 1 Arabic language news channel.
The Arab spring caught the network off guard – although many say it was behind it – but it quickly became involved and certainly gave a voice and wall-to-wall coverage to the demonstrations for democratic change.