Al Jazeera says Israel’s claim that six of its journalists are terrorists is a ‘baseless fabrication”
Al Jazeera has accused Israel of a “baseless fabrication” after six of its journalists were accused of being “terrorists”.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) claims it has found documents and computer files proving that the six, who are all based in Gaza, have long-standing links to Hamas or Islamic Jihad.
It has published what it claims are details of their training, military rank, salaries and even injuries that they sustained.
The IDF says these documents “serve as proof of the integration of Hamas terrorists within the Qatari Al Jazeera media network”. However, the documents have not been independently verified.
Al Jazeera, which is the only international news company to have staff permanently based in Gaza, has denied the accusations, defending the journalists and insisting that Israel is simply trying to block all coverage of its military operations in the north of Gaza.
The journalists named by the IDF are Anas al-Sharif, Hossam Shabat, Ismael Abu Omar, Talal Arrouki, Ashraf and Alaa Salameh.
In an interview with Sky News, Mr Shabat described the documents as “false and against international law”.
“The Israelis included me in this list because they are targeting journalists and influencers whose voices are being shared widely, particularly on the conditions in northern Gaza.
“I am not affiliated with any Palestinian militant group or wing. Me and my colleagues are independent journalists. We represent the voice of the people, and work among civilians to cover the Israeli army’s ongoing crimes.
“The Israeli army is trying to stop the truth from getting out. It is trying to silence the north, to silence those who share the truth.
“I have lost family members already because they were targeted because I am a journalist. I carry guilt in my heart.”
Hossam Shabat says Israel’s documents are a breach of international law
Tamer Almisshal is a Palestinian journalist who works as a presenter for Al Jazeera and insists the broadcaster is resolutely behind its reporters.
He told me: “Israel is targeting our journalists in the Gaza strip to stop them covering what is happening in the north.
“We consider these allegations to be baseless, unfounded and fabricated. We are the sole international media organisation that is reporting from Gaza because Israel has closed all the crossings that would allow journalists to get into Gaza. So we are the only people reporting from inside the strip.
“We consider that Israel has made these allegations to try to make the journalists too fearful to continue reporting, especially from the north where most of the casualties have been in the past three or four weeks.
“We still commit to maintaining the highest professional standards, and to keep going with our coverage from the ground.”
The IDF claims the documents show that the journalists had held roles including sniper, captain and training co-ordinator.
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‘Disturbed by IDF labelling journalists as terrorists’
It has denied fabricating any of the documents, saying the information was found on databases maintained by groups in Gaza.
However, while labelling the six as “terrorists” it has not provided any details of specific allegation of any activities.
Relations between Israel and Al Jazeera have been tense for years, with Israel accusing the Qatar-based network of being a mouthpiece for Hamas and Hezbollah.
In May 2022, Israeli forces shot and killed Shireen Abu Akleh, a well-known Al Jazeera journalist, as she reported from the West Bank.
The aftermath of an Israeli strike on northern Gaza this week. Pic: Reuters
Four Al Jazeera journalists have been killed following Israeli airstrikes in Gaza over the past 12 months.
In May, an Israeli court ordered that the network should stop broadcasting from Israel, the first time the country had ever closed down the operations of a foreign news outlet.
Jodie Ginsberg, chief executive of the Committee to Protect Journalists, said: “I am deeply disturbed by this, and unfortunately it is part of a pattern by Israel, not just here but also in preceding conflicts, where they label journalists as terrorists but never produce any credible evidence.
“We are concerned that this is an attempt to excuse any future attacks on these journalists. We have looked at the documents they have produced and they don’t appear to be credible. But even if they were credible, they do not prove these individuals are active combatants, which is the only reason for targeting people. Journalists are civilians and must not be targeted in a war. To do so is a war crime.”
World
US blocks Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and 80 other officials from United Nations’ annual meeting in New York
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and 80 other officials have been blocked from attending September’s annual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio has revoked the US visas of delegates from the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), and denied others from applying for one.
It is the latest step by Donald Trump’s administration to target Palestinians with visa restrictions, and follows the suspension of a programme to allow injured children from Gaza to receive treatment in the US.
Mahmoud Abbas addressed the general assembly in 2024, but is barred from next month’s meeting. Pic: Reuters
“It is in our national security interests to hold the PLO and PA accountable for not complying with their commitments, and for undermining the prospects for peace,” a statement from the US State Department said.
It added that, to be considered partners for peace, both groups “must consistently repudiate terrorism, and end incitement to terrorism in education, as required by US law and as promised by the PLO”.
Offensive will cause ‘intolerable deaths’
Several US allies, including France, Malta, and Australia have announced plans to recognise Palestine as a state at September’s United Nations General Assembly. Canada and the UK will too, unless Israel meets certain conditions.
Israel declared Gaza’s largest city a dangerous combat zone on Friday.
The army launched a planned offensive that has drawn international condemnation.
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Thick smoke rises from Gaza City after Israeli strikes
Foreign ministers from Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Slovenia and Spain released a joint statement saying the military operations in Gaza City will cause “intolerable deaths of innocent Palestinian civilians”.
Gaza latest: Israel’s Gaza City offensive condemned
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are sheltering in Gaza City while enduring famine.
An Israeli armoured vehicle in northern Gaza on Friday. Pic: AP
Palestinians ride a truck carrying humanitarian aid in Gaza City. Pic: AP
The Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations (UN), Riyad Mansour, said Mr Abbas had planned to lead the delegation to the UN meetings and was expected to address the general assembly at the general debate, which begins on 23 September.
He was also expected to attend a high-level meeting co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia on 22 September about a two-state solution, a broad idea involving Israel coexisting with an independent Palestinian state.
The State of Palestine is an observer member of the UN, meaning it can speak at meetings but not vote on resolutions.
The State of Palestine cannot vote on UN resolutions. Pic: AP
US decision ‘contravenes international law’
The Palestinian Authority “expressed its deep regret and astonishment” at the visa decision, calling it “a violation of US commitments” as the host of the UN, and claiming it “contravenes international law”.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the world body would be seeking clarification in the “hope that this will be resolved”.
Hundreds of diplomats left when Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu began speaking at the general assembly in 2024. Pic: Reuters
The State Department said that the Palestinian Authority’s mission to the UN, comprising officials who are permanently based there, would not be included in the restrictions.
Under a 1947 UN agreement, the US is generally required to allow access for foreign diplomats to the UN in New York.
But Washington has said it can deny visas for security, extremism and foreign policy reasons.
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The death toll in Gaza has now risen to 63,025, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.
It also reported five more malnutrition-related deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number during the war to 322, with 121 of them children.
World
Brazil implores businesses to attend major climate summit, despite ‘second thoughts’ amid Trump backlash
The Brazilian hosts of the biggest climate meeting of the year have implored businesses to attend in November, amid concerns some are backing away from the climate agenda into the shadow of Donald Trump.
In an interview with Sky News, Ana Toni, chief executive of the COP30 climate summit in November, admitted some companies were having “second thoughts” about the global switch to green economies because policymakers were creating uncertainty.
The US President Donald Trump has been attacking wind farms and waging tariff wars that could slow the transition to green energy.
Banks including HSBC and Barclays have ditched a net zero alliance set up just four years ago by Mark Carney, now the Canadian Prime Minister.
Ana Toni, Brazil’s climate secretary, is chief executive of the COP30 climate talks. Pic: Reuters
But even before Trump took office, tech companies were quietly dropping climate targets to prioritise energy-hungry AI, and other businesses were “greenhushing” their climate initiatives for fear of backlash.
In this environment, there are fears fewer business leaders will attend the annual talks, which are also being hosted in a city on the edge of the Amazon that hasn’t enough hotel rooms.
On Friday, the COP30 team wrote to business leaders urging them to “step forward, not back” and travel to Belem, despite “logistical challenges” and the “background of systemic uncertainty”.
Ana Toni told Sky News: “We are very concerned that the enabling conditions must be there so that the private sector can also deliver where they do best, which is bringing in technology, bringing innovation and accelerating the process of decarbonisation.”
In August the share price of Danish wind farm developer plummeted after the US halted its Rhode Island wind farm, while the British Tories and Reform parties are also attacking net zero.
Ana Toni met with King Charles and leaders of other COP summits at Clarence House last year. Pic: Reuters
But Ms Toni there is “nothing to panic [about], because we can see that the transition is inevitable,” citing major progress in China, India and Europe and Brazil.
Referring to the US’s withdrawal from the COP process, she said: “198 countries minus one is not zero. And we will put all our efforts of working with the 197 countries that want to go forward and want to protect their population.”
“Climate action is not only [still] cool, it is necessary,” Ms Toni said.
“We all need to face reality. We are going through a huge climate crisis… If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. Companies understand that.”
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