Aljazeera removes an anti-Israel fake report, but damage already done

"The damage done, however, is that the antisemitic story is spreading widely in Arabic-speaking circles."

JANUARY 14, 2021 12:45

An employee works inside the office of the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera network in Jerusalem (photo credit: REUTERS) — An employee works inside the office of the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera network in Jerusalem

(photo credit: REUTERS)

Aljazeera's English website retracted a story on Wednesday about an Emirates pilot who reportedly resigned to protest normalization between the United Arab Emirates and Israel in the wake of the Abraham Accords.

Ghanem Nuseibeh, Founder of Cornerstone Global Associates and chairman of the Muslims Against Antisemitism (MAAS) organization, reported the retraction on Twitter, adding that he was himself a victim of Aljazeera's misinformation and fake news. He said that he finds it "unsettling that the channel continues to peddle antisemitic stories, like BDS," and called on Aljazeera to apologize.

He continued, saying that although he was glad the fake news had been taken down, "the damage done, however, is that the antisemitic story is spreading widely in Arabic speaking circles."

As a victim of Aljazeera misinformation and fake news, I find it very unsettling that the channel continues to peddle anti Semitic stories, like BDS. Aljazeera needs to be challenged until it stops this incitement
— Ghanem Nuseibeh (@gnuseibeh) January 13, 2021

On its website, Aljazeera in English gave the following reason for its action under an Editor's Note: "The text in this page originally showed a news story about an alleged Tunisian pilot, Monem al-Taba, who reportedly claimed in a Facebook post he was suspended by the UAE flag carrier Emirates for refusing to fly to Tel Aviv. Emirates has since commented via Twitter saying it “has never employed any pilot by this name and all reports circulating on social media around this are false."

"We have therefore retracted the story pending further review."

Following the Abraham Accords, Israel and the United Arab Emirates will allow visa-free travel between the countries, after the UAE ratified an agreement on the matter on Wednesday.

Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi said “the ratification of the agreement is a central element of the full and quick implementation of the many agreements being worked on these days with the Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco.”

Lahav Harkov contributed to this report.