The Palestinian Authority is the latest Arab government to attempt to crack down on al-Jazeera.

The Palestinian Ministry of Information says al-Jazeera’s office in Ramallah has been closed down after the broadcaster aired a programme that amounted to incitement and sedition. It added that the ministry will take the channel to court and that the suspension of all its operations in the West Bank will continue until the judiciary rules on the matter.

During its Behind the News programme on Tuesday al-Jazeera broadcast Fatah member Faruq al-Qadumi’s comments at a press conference in Jordan alleging that current Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and other officials along with Israel had been involved in a plot to kill Yasser Arafat in 2004.  

Walid al-Omary, al-Jazeera’s local director, rejected the accusations. “We regret this decision, which harms the freedom of expression and the press in this country,” he said. 

What happens next?
History suggests the Palestinian Authority (PA) has little to gain by permanently expelling al-Jazeera’s employees, and both sides will eventually have to reach a face-saving compromise. The resolution of a previous al-Jazeera-PA spat shows how this may come about. In March 2001 PA security forces raided and shut down the Ramallah office after al-Jazeera aired a documentary trailer featuring a sequence of pictures deemed insulting to then-leader Yasser Arafat. Arafat, who had been visiting Saudi Arabia, returned several days later and arranged a meeting with al-Omary, telling him he had been unaware of the bureau’s closure and ordered the authorities to immediately re-open the building.

Abbas has yet to comment and is, perhaps conveniently, currently in Egypt attending the Non-Aligned Movement summit.

Sudanese cameraman Sami al-Haj has been released from Guantanamo prison, after six years of detention.

Al-Jazeera Director General Wadah Khanfar said: “Sami will continue with al-Jazeera, he will continue as a professional person who has done great jobs during his work with al-Jazeera”

More news on al-Jazeera’s website.

Confronted for the first time publicly about a purported phone conversation with US president George Bush in 2004 concerning a plan to bomb al-Jazeera headquarters in Qatar, former British PM Tony Blair has denied it ever happened.

The question was put to Blair this week during an interview with al-Jazeera, which largely focused on his current role as special envoy to the Middle East for the Quartet.

At first Blair appeared to avoid the question, but when pressed claimed that “as far as I know, there never has been any intention to bomb al-Jazeera… So, I’m afraid, I’m sorry to tell the viewers but that particular conspiracy about President Bush is not correct”.

The exchange in full:

Al-Jazeera: As an envoy, peace envoy, do you see things in a different manner that you saw in the past, for example shelling media offices let’s say, how do you describe that?

Blair: I don’t agree with this, but I don’t know what offices you mean. 
 
I mean al-Jazeera offices for example in Afghanistan or in Iraq?

Well, first of all let me say this, you asked what I’ve learned in my time as envoy to the Middle East. I think what I have learned by travelling and seeing around Jericho in the Jordan valley and Hebron, actually travelling in the Palestinian territory, I do understand the deep sense of injustice the Palestinian people have, and I don’t agree with terrorism in any context instantly.

I understand why the Palestinian people feel angry. The important thing is to change that situation. Instantly I don’t agree with bombing the media for being the media in any situation; even though we have our disagreements from time to time.

Some people in al-Jazeera feel that they owe you their lives about that conversation between you and President Bush in which it is said you convinced him not to bomb al-Jazeera’s office. 
 
I don’t think you have been really in any danger. So, it is kind of you to thank me but it is not necessary. 
 
So this conversation did not take place, there was not intention or it took place in a different context? 
 
No, put it like this, as far as I know, there never has been any intention to bomb al-Jazeera. What happens in politics is that you live your life in conspiracy theories and frankly there are enough normal and real political problems to solve without worrying about those ones. So, I’m afraid, I’m sorry to tell the viewers but that particular conspiracy about President Bush is not correct.

In a remarkable turn of events, al-Jazeera will reportedly be allowed to open an office in Saudi Arabia before the end of the year. News of the dramatic development leaked out after a meeting between the leaders of Qatar and Saudi Arabia on 22 September.

The Jeddah summit between Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani and Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz resulted in a deal, according to an article in Kuwaiti newspaper al-Jarida:

• Saudi Arabia would return its ambassador to Qatar. There has been no Saudi envoy in Doha since he was recalled in 2002.
• Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz would attend the Gulf Cooperation Council in Qatar in December. Abdullah had boycotted the meeting of regional leaders when it was last hosted in Doha in 2002.
• Qatar would see to it that al-Jazeera broadcasts would no longer “undermine” or “campaign” against Saudi Arabia.
• Saudi Arabia would in turn permit al-Jazeera to establish a bureau in Riyadh.

Also included in the Qatari entourage, and reportedly present at the meeting of the two leaders, was al-Jazeera chairman Sheikh Hamad bin Thamir al-Thani. According to al-Jarida, the chairman said further changes to al-Jazeera’s management positions were likely this year – only months after the reshuffle of the channel’s board of directors.

It is notable that it was Abdullah himself who told the region’s leaders during the 2001 summit that al-Jazeera was responsible for “discrediting the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, harming its members’ royal families, threatening stability in the Arab world and encouraging terrorism” 

If the reports are true, it raises a number of interesting points. The deal makes a mockery of the Qatari government’s long-standing claim of non-interference in what al-Jazeera broadcasts. In the past, all complaints to Qatari officials about the channel’s content – usually from representatives of other Arab countries -were batted away with the defence that the authorities respected the ideals of a free press.

What impact will the agreement have on al-Jazeera’s advertising revenue? Up until now, the Saudi-Qatar rift has led all Saudi companies to boycott the channel, stifling al-Jazeera’s attempts to attract any substantial profit, despite its massive audience across the Arab world. Several al-Jazeera staff have alluded to the fact that the launch of Al-Jazeera English was an attempt to provide the profit-making stream from which the Arabic channel was blocked.  

Other lingering questions: How strong is this deal? What happens the next time a guest on one of al-Jazeera’s live talkshows makes an outburst against Saudi Arabia? Will such guests no longer be invited? If so, how will the station’s independently-minded journalists react to such an order to ensure their reports are Saudi-friendly?

Al-Jazeera Director General Wadah Khanfar has responded to the speculation about his “diminished” role at the station after its management reshuffle (previously discussed on this blog here, here and here).

Back in June, Khanfar added a comment to the personal blog of BBC Global News Director Richard Sambrook. It simply said:

You shouldn’t believe everything you read in the press. Apart from my cholesterol, everything is under control.

He then expanded on his comments in an interview with Variety magazine:

I know what has been written, but I can assure you that Al-Jazeera will remain the same. There has been no change in our editorial line or our editorial policy. As far as I’m concerned, I run Al-Jazeera and I’m in charge. Mr. Kholeifi is responsible for financial and administrative issues, not the editorial line of the channel. In my opinion, this separation between the executive management and senior journalists is healthy.

Wadah Khanfar – who has been dropped from the al-Jazeera board of directors – remains in the position of ‘Director General of al-Jazeera’. That, at least, is the title the Qatari press continue to give him. Khanfar put in an appearance yesterday on behalf of the channel at a ceremony to underwrite closer cooperation with Qatar University.

Egyptian online daily al-Mesryoon claims there is discontent and confusion among al-Jazeera staff since the new General Manager Ahmad al-Kholeifi has assumed many of the responsibilities previously held by Khanfar. It says the management reshuffle has favoured the US-friendly ‘liberal’ faction at the channel. (Some commentators have identified three competing ideologies within al-Jazeera: the Arabist, Islamic and liberal factions)

Nuri Yalcin cites a former al-Jazeera employee saying: “There will definitely be policy changes: Fewer veiled women employees and fewer Bin Laden tapes, for example.”

The following is an article that appeared in the Jordanian weekly al-Majd from 4 June (The original Arabic article is here) as translated by BBC Monitoring:

Khanfar’s removal from al-Jazeera board of directors preliminary step towards removal as director general

Media quarters in Qatar were surprised by the decision to remove Director General of al-Jazeera network Waddah Khanfar, from its board of directors. Media sources considered this step “illogical,” because Khanfar is the director general of all al-Jazeera satellite television channels, including the Arabic news channel, the international news channel, the documentary channel, the sports channel, and the children’s channel, as well as the aljazeera.net electronic website, its training and research centres, and its international printed newspaper, which is expected to be issued soon.

Khanfar’s removal came into effect in pursuance of an amiri decision that was issued by Heir Apparent Shaykh Tamim Bin-Hamad Al Thani and according to which a new board of directors was announced. There have been some changes in the new board of directors, which now comprises all-Qatari members except for Mahmud Shammam (a Libyan). It was also eye-catching that Ms Maryam Rashid Yusuf al-Khatir became the first woman to join the al-Jazeera board of directors.

Well-informed media sources hold the view that “the removal of Khanfar from the al-Jazeera board of directors was the first step towards removing him from his position as director general of the network.” They said that “his removal came in response to outside US and Palestinian pressure.” They explained that “the Americans and the Palestinians accused Khanfar of empathizing with the Muslim Brotherhood in general and with the Palestinian Hamas Movement in particular.”

The sources noted that “an official close to Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas visited Doha recently and handed Qatari officials a security dossier on Waddah Khanfar.” They said that “an Arab intelligence service delivered to Qatar a similar dossier that proves Khanfar’s association with the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas.”

The same sources said that “the amiri decision was issued following a media campaign that Qatari newspapers waged against Khanfar a few months ago.” They added that “Qatari newspapers accused Khanfar of excluding Qataris from key posts in al-Jazeera.”

The sources said that “Qatari Amir Shaykh Hamad Bin-Khalifah Al Thani had long been the umbrella under which Khanfar continued to occupy his post over the past period.”

They added that “however, the Qatari amir has been under constant pressure, which he could no longer tolerate. As a result, he instructed his son, Heir Apparent Shaykh Tamim Bin-Hamad Al Thani, to issue in his absence an amiri decision to form a new board of directors. The duration of term for the new board was amended from one to three years.”

The new board of directors was formed under the chairmanship of Shaykh Hamad Bin-Thamir Al Thani and with the membership of Ahmad Abdallah al-Khulayfi, Hamad Bin-Abd-al-Aziz al-Kawari, Abdallah Mubarak al-Khulayfi, Mahmud Shammam, Abd-al-Aziz Ibrahim Al Mahmud, and Maryam Rashid Yusuf al-Khatir. It is worth noting that Abd-al-Aziz Al Mahmud, whom Waddah Khanfar had previously removed from his post as al-Jazeera.net (al-Jazeera website) chief editor, was appointed as a member of the new board of directors.

The sources said that they “have noticed some changes in al-Jazeera news coverage. This was clearly manifest in its coverage of the recent clashes between Fatah and Hamas.” They said that “Al-Jazeera was relatively biased towards Fatah. It hosted persons who belong to Fatah or who are considered Fatah proteges and gave them the opportunity to criticize Hamas.” They added that “it was also noticed that al-Jazeera has absented a number of Hamas leaders, such as former Palestinian Foreign Minister Mahmud al-Zahhar, member of the Hamas Political Bureau Muhammad Nazzal, and Hamas spokesperson in Gaza Sami Abu-Zuhri.” The sources attributed the absence of these names to “their hardline criticism of a number of Fatah leaders.”

British rebel MP George Galloway also alluded to the events at al-Jazeera in a Guardian opinion piece, saying:

“A recent reshuffle has brought outspokenly pro-US directors on to the board, including a former Qatari ambassador to Washington…  but these moves have already backfired and caused huge controversy not only in Qatar but throughout the Middle East, and there is every chance that what is in effect an attempted coup at the station will be reversed”.

Iran has lifted its restrictions on al-Jazeera reporters, in the aftermath of the Bila Hudud al-Sistani ‘insult’ incident. Director of Foreign Media at Iran’s Ministry of Culture Mohsen Moqaddaszadeh said:

The channel is allowed to resume both its Arabic and English services in Tehran after it officially apologized to Iran and made some changes at managerial level.

Is this a reference to the al-Jazeera board of directors reshuffle that dropped Wadah Khanfar?

Meanwhile, Khanfar’s absence has raised eyebrows at the Asia Media Summit in Malaysia. Khanfar – still listed as “Director General of the al-Jazeera Network” in the official programme – was nowhere to be seen.

Qatar’s Deputy Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, reshuffled the seven-member al-Jazeera network board of directors, according to a Qatar News Agency dispatch on 15 May. The new appointments are to last for three years.

• Sheikh Hamad bin Thamer al-Thani, a member of Qatar’s royal family, will continue to hold the position of Chairman.
• Ahmad Abdullah al-Kholeifi takes up the position of Deputy Chairman and General Manager

(Wadah Khanfar, and the title he once owned – Director General – appear to have been scrapped from the board)

Other members of the board are:

• Hamad Abdulaziz al-Kuwari (Former Qatari information minister)
• Abdullah Mubarak al-Kholeifi (continues)
• Mahmoud Shamam (continues)
• Abdul Aziz Ibrahim al Mahmoud
• Mariam Rashed Yousuf al-Khater

So what does it all mean? Leave a comment.

Chatter from the web:

A thinly-sourced article in Echorouk Al Yaoumi sees an opportunity for al-Jazeera’s Algerian presenter Khadija Ben Guenna to take over the top spot at the channel, although she reportedly does not want the position.

Danny Schechter says:

There has just been a worrisome recent development at the one media outlet in the world known for its independence, Al Jazeera, where a new board has been named with a gutsy independent journalist replaced as managing director by a former Ambassador to Washington. You just know what that will result in — Foxera, was the formulation coined by one reader.

Iranian embassy officials in Abu Dhabi, UAE, today ordered the al-Jazeera television crew to leave the Emirates Palace Hotel ahead of a press conference by visiting Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, reported Gulf News.

Two men have been jailed in the UK for breaching the Official Secrets Act by attempting to leak a memo describing details of a conversation in April 2004 between British PM Tony Blair and US president George Bush.

David Keogh, a communications officer at the Cabinet Office, was given six months while Leo O’Connor, a researcher for anti-war Labour MP Anthony Clarke, received three months

British newspapers are all reporting the story, but not what the memo contains. Because they can’t.

As The Independent noted:

Throughout the trial, the public and press were excluded from parts of the hearing which referred to the contents of the highly sensitive memo. It is a contempt of court to publish details of the memo.

What is known is that The Daily Mirror reported on the particular memo on 22 November 2005 in a front-page story. The original article (full text still available on the Mirror site here) stated that the memo indicated that Bush “planned to bomb” the Doha headquarters of al-Jazeera. One source told the newspaper the president’s reference to bombing the Qatari capital was in jest. Another source claimed the conversation was serious. The memo also allegedly “included details of troop deployments”.

Several British newspapers are now appealing to be allowed to report on more details of the case – including the information in the above paragraph. Justice Richard Aikens said the British press could reveal some of the background, provided they did it in a remarkably contorted manner, as The Guardian explained:

The judge suggested that the allegations could be “recycled,” but only if they were published on a separate page of a newspaper from that containing references to the trial.

The Mirror today could only hint at what their previous story had said:

Much of the trial was held behind closed doors after the judge said that “some individuals or groups in the Middle East might react very unfavourably to the contents of the letter”.

Details of the memo had already been revealed exclusively by the Daily Mirror and are therefore in the public domain.

But although our story was flashed around the world and is freely available on the internet, the judge ruled it could not be repeated in reports of the trial.

The original Mirror story prompted some al-Jazeera staffers to set up the “Don’t Bomb Us” blog. A flotilla of bloggers subsequently stepped forward – under the motto “I’ll publish the al-Jazeera memo” – to proclaim they would risk jail to release the contents of the letter.