There is a long list of Israeli injustices and draconian policies against champions of truth. Whenever an outlet, voices of reason, advocacy groups, or channels expose the barbarity of Netanyahu’s genocidal machinery, the response has been to either shun attack or shut down such voices of reason. This is an affront to freedom of expression and diversity of thought as often championed by the international community and must be unanimously condemned. One of the latest casualties is Al Mayadeen, a channel dedicated to justice for Palestinians living under decades of occupation apartheid. The renewal of "Israel’s" 2023 ban demonstrates the genocidal regime is once again stifling freedom of speech and is averse to credible journalism. 

The proposal to renew a ban on the channel was put forward by Communications Minister, Shlomo Karhi and was adopted swiftly by the occupation regime. It includes the confiscation of Al Mayadeen’s equipment and the blocking of its websites. A professional opinion was also sought from Israeli security agencies as the ban was a follow-up to the previous 2023 suspension of the Al Mayadeen network by the Israeli cabinet. This 2024 draconian ban comes as the network persisted with its ‘Al Aqsa Flood’ epic since October 7th, 2023 which is characterized by vivid, detailed, and anti-occupation coverage. 

The nature of the Israeli state, its undisputed genocide, and crimes against humanity have meant that the ban of Al Mayadeen has been fittingly condemned across the board as an affront to journalism and the rights of Palestinians.  This ban also demonstrates the moral hypocrisy with which Netanyahu is approaching international media and impartial coverage. Outlets such as the New York Times which lean towards more ‘nuanced’ coverage of the criticism of "Israel’s" genocide are tolerated at the expense of channels such as Al Mayadeen which exposes "Israel’s" violation of Palestinian lives with fact and evidence. 

Hence, to target a channel that is committed to humanitarian issues within the template of professional journalistic objectivity reveals a moral crisis within "Israel" where issues ranging from babies and women being slaughtered in broad daylight to hospitals being bombarded are censored and muzzled as so-called ‘ national security’ threats. 

Unsurprising too, is that the renewal of the ban has been condemned by figures such as Joseph Al-Qusayfi, who is the head of the syndicate of press editors in Lebanon. As "Israel" bombards Southern Lebanon with alarming immunity, Al Qusayfi emphasized that the Zionist measure against Al Mayadeen is not at all surprising, given Netanyahu’s persistent quest to cover up its heinous crimes against humanity. Al Qusayfi also affirmed that the channel played a qualitative and effective role in dealing with the genocide in Gaza and the brutality that Palestinians have been subjected to in the West Bank. He is not in a club of one. The Lebanese caretaker Minister of Information, Ziad Makri also denounced "Israel’s" decision to ban Al Mayadeen and praised the channel for its transparency, boldness, and professionalism. 

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Martyrs and press freedoms

In Iran, where the harrowing assassination of Hamas figurehead and martyr, Ismail Haniyeh took place, the decision to ban Al Mayadeen has vindicated Tehran’s long-held stance that "Israel’s" hostility has many different facets. This includes shutting down credible channels and voices such as Hanaa Mahameed, Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in occupied Jerusalem who was subject to a renewed campaign of incitement from Israeli, far-right settlers. Other voices calling out the violation of state sovereignty guaranteed under Article 2 (4) of the UN Charter such as correspondent Farah Omer and photographer, Rabie Al Maamari have also been targeted by Israeli drones. Both Farah and Rabie were covering and exposing "Israel’s" aggression in South Lebanon (which continues to date) and were martyred by the Zionist regime. 

The martyrdom of journalists is a long-held strategy of "Israel". It is an operational technique employed to send a message to a wider target audience that voices of reason who challenge their status quo on Palestine will be eliminated. By banning Al Mayadeen which is a proper channel with a history of advocating for humanitarianism in the Middle East, the Netanyahu government is sending a message that any exposure of its genocide must go unnoticed.  

However, Al Mayadeen’s ban is being noticed, its ban condemned and its professionalism being praised.  

This includes the Omani Journalists Association. The OJA condemned the Israeli ban as aimed at obscuring the truth and concealing the regime’s crimes. OJA President, Mohammed al-Araimi also praised Al Mayadeen for shedding light on "Israel’s" heinous crimes. His sentiments have been echoed by the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate and Forum of Palestinian Journalists who underlined Al Mayadeen’s commitment to thwart sedition while equating the Netanyahu regime’s actions as challenging the channel’s exposure of its plans to initiate sectarian and national strife in Palestinian territories. The network’s pioneering role in exposing "Israel’s" genocide and its significant presence in the media sector is also considered a source of insecurity for the Netanyahu establishment which is adamant that "Israel’s" narrative of ‘civilization’ against ‘barbarity’ reigns supreme in the international community as its genocide continues unabated. 

However, banning channels renowned for vivid and credible coverage of the genocide in Gaza exposes the Netanyahu establishment to the core. Banning channels such as Al Mayadeen is reflective of the tenuous standing that "Israel" has in the international community. 

It is a genocidal regime and its clamping down of Al Mayadeen reinforces that.