Pictured Above: Al Jazeera's English newsroom in Doha, Qatar. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.

(JNS.org) Israel’s Government Press Office (GPO) is set to rescind the press credentials of Al Jazeera reporter Elias Karram, an Israeli Arab, due to his purported bias against the Jewish state.

GPO Director Nitzan Chen said Wednesday that Karram’s press credentials would be revoked, following a hearing on the matter, due to the correspondent informing the television station Dar al-Iman that he actively supports the Palestinians over Israel in his reports. 

“These remarks call into question the ability of Karram, the representative of a foreign network, to cover—as a professional journalist—the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in which, according to his own words, he is taking an active part,” the GPO said.

The move follows the Israeli government’s announcement earlier this month that it plans to shutter the Jerusalem offices of the Qatar-based broadcaster. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently accused the Arab network of inciting violence in Israel.

Israel would join Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey in curtailing Al Jazeera’s operations in their countries amid similar accusations of incitement, coming against the backdrop of the ongoing diplomatic dispute between Qatar and Arab states over Qatar’s support for terrorist groups.

Al-Jazeera has previously vowed to pursue “all necessary legal measures” to prevent the closure of its Jerusalem offices. Israel’s Foreign Ministry Thursday reportedly cautioned Netanyahu against shutting down Al Jazeera’s Jerusalem offices, citing concerns over damaging Israel’s global reputation.

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