Al Jazeera rejects Netanyahu’s attack on journalists in UN speech | Al Jazeera News
Al Jazeera Responds to Netanyahu’s Criticism at UN General Assembly
Published September 25, 2026
NEW YORK — Al Jazeera has strongly condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent criticism of the network during his address to the United Nations General Assembly. In a statement issued on Friday, Al Jazeera described Netanyahu’s remarks as part of a broader “sustained campaign against Al Jazeera and its journalists.”
During his speech on Thursday, Netanyahu labeled Al Jazeera as one of the world’s “toxic media outlets,” accusing it of attempting to “brainwash young minds to hate Israel.” His comments were made in the context of addressing criticisms related to Israel’s military actions in Gaza and its policies in the occupied West Bank.
Al Jazeera rejected Netanyahu’s assertions, alleging that the prime minister seeks to hinder the outlet’s ability to “report facts from the ground,” provide context, and ensure diverse voices are represented. The network also expressed concern that such rhetoric, delivered from the UN podium, poses a significant threat to the safety of its journalists operating in conflict zones.
“This rhetoric cannot be separated from the heavy toll borne by Al Jazeera’s journalists in Gaza,” the statement added, highlighting the network’s losses among its personnel during the ongoing violence.
According to reports, over 270 journalists have been killed in Gaza amid the ongoing conflict, with at least 12 of those being affiliated with Al Jazeera. The network noted that several of its reporters and camera operators have lost their lives while covering events in the region, some following campaigns of incitement against them.
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate reported that among the more than 73,000 fatalities in Gaza, at least 706 were family members of Palestinian journalists.
Israel has a history of targeting Al Jazeera, recently enacting measures to restrict the network’s operations. Two years ago, the Israeli cabinet voted to shut down Al Jazeera’s operations in the country, which included the closure of its offices and a ban on broadcasts, following the passage of a law that allows for the temporary closure of foreign media deemed a “threat to security.”
In its statement, Al Jazeera argued that these actions not only target the network but also undermine the public’s right to access truthful information and independent journalism. The network maintains that the role of journalism is to provide factual reporting and context while allowing individuals to assess sources and form their own opinions.
