The Palestinian administration in the West Bank, run by the Fatah faction of the PLO, has shut down the local office of Al-Jazeera, an independent Arab news network, because it:
promoted a negative view of its work and that the coverage is biased
Americans, Europeans and the Israelis have been harping about how Mahmoud Abbas’ administration, along with Fatah, can be a partner in peace. In fact, we’ve refused to negotiate with anyone else.
So, do we want partners in the crucial peace process who cannot tolerate dissent? What does this say about the PLO’s mindset when it’s negotiating with the Israelis and Western diplomats?
Al-Jazeera has its faults. But Fatah had no right to shut it down merely for criticizing it. It’s simply doing what Hamas does in the Gaza, albeit by slightly different means.
Western governments should condemn such undemocratic moves, but will it happen?
