Secretary of State Antony Blinken asked Qatari leader to 'tone down Al Jazeera's' war coverage: report

Secretary of State Antony Blinken told American Jewish community leaders that "he asked the Qatari prime minister less than two weeks ago to tone down Al Jazeera's rhetoric about the war in Gaza," according to sources that spoke to Axios. 

"Blinken's comments suggest the administration, which has asserted its support for the independent press globally," Axios wrote, "is concerned Al Jazeera's framing of the conflict could escalate tensions in the region."

The report continued: "According to the three attendees, Blinken said he gave toning down Al Jazeera coverage of the war in Gaza as an example of steps the Qatari government can take to do this. Blinken said he asked the Qataris to 'turn down the volume on Al Jazeera's coverage because it is full of anti-Israel incitement,' according to one source."

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According to Axios's sources, "Blinken didn't give any examples of the heightened rhetoric he asked to be dialed back."

Al Jazeera did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. 

Former Trump White House official Jason Greenblatt sparred with an Al Jazeera journalist on live TV after she appeared to blame Israel for Hamas' unprecedented terror attack against Israeli civilians earlier this month.

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In an appearance on the Qatar-based news station via Zoom, Greenblatt, who served as the White House Middle East Special Envoy during the Trump administration, was asked in Arabic about Israel's retaliatory strikes and whether a "resolution" can be reached if the Israeli military commits "atrocities against civilians in Gaza." 

Greenblatt rejected the host's use of the word "atrocities" in this context, calling it a "false question." 

Israel communications minister Shloma Karhi accused the Qatari news station of pro-Hamas incitement and of exposing Israeli soldiers to potential attack from Gaza, according to the outlet. The proposal to close the Al Jazeera office is reportedly being considered by Israeli security officials and is being vetted by legal experts.

"This is a station that incites, this is a station that films troops in assembly areas [outside Gaza] ... that incites against the citizens of Israel - a propaganda mouthpiece," Karhi said on Israel's Army Radio, Reuters reported.

"It is unconscionable that Hamas spokespeople's message goes through this station," he said, adding that he hopes to get the proposal finished with before Monday.

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Fox News' Yael Halon contributed to this report.