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Photo: Al Jazeera
Al-Jazeera Network - Causing incitement?
Photo: Al Jazeera

Al-Jazeera journalist resigns over 'incitement'

Ghassan Bin Jeddo director of al-Jazeera’s office in Beirut protested against lack of objectivity in reporting of Arab world uprising

Ghassan Bin Jeddo a prominent journalist and presenter in Qatar's satellite TV channel al-Jazeera has resigned, citing the channel’s abandonment of its neutrality in the present unrest in the region.

 

The statement could not be independently corroborated despite reports that Bin Jeddo himself confirmed the news, published in the Arabic language Lebanese daily al-Safir. 

 

Al-Safir had quoted "reliable sources" as saying that Bin Jeddo’s resignation was attributed to al-Jazeera's alleged abandonment of professional and objective reporting, as it became "an operation room for incitement and mobilization.”

 

Another reason noted was its "provocative policy, which is “unacceptable, particularly in light of the historical stage the region is passing through," it added. It stressed that Bin Jeddo’s resignation was morally motivated as al-Jazeera highlighted the developments in Libya, Yemen, and Syria but not Bahrain.

 

Asked if the resignation was related to the policy the channel has adopted in covering Syrian developments, the paper quoted a source as saying: "It's an issue of principle and morality for him."

 

About face

Al-Safir noted that after the 2005 assassination of the former Lebanese Prime Minister, Rafik Hariri, Bin Jeddo was banned from entering Syria for a year and a half because "he is an advocate of reform and freedom in that country.”

 

During the first weeks of the riots in Syria the al-Jazeera network completely ignored the protests and incured a great deal of criticism from government opposition in Damascus.

 

Following the criticism the Qatari network did an about face and now has the Syrian riots as its main story even going so far as to publish harsh images of protestors being killed by the regime supporters.

 

It also offers Syrian human rights activists and resigning parliament members a platform to present their views.

 

Roee Nahmias contributed to this report

 

 


פרסום ראשון: 04.24.11, 13:07
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