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Last update - 00:00 01/01/2008
VIDEO / Al-Jazeera admits to 'unethical' behavior over Kuntar party
By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: israel, samir kuntar 

The Al Jazeera television station admitted Wednesday that its coverage of Israel's release of convicted Lebanese terrorist Samir Kuntar violated the station's own code of ethics. The admission came in response to a threat by Israel's Government Press Office to boycott the satellite channel unless it apologized.

In an official letter, a copy of which was obtained by Haaretz, Al Jazeera's director general, Khanfar Wadah, wrote that "elements of the program" broadcast in Kuntar's honor on the night of Saturday, July 19, "violated [the station's] Code of Ethics," and he "regards these violations as very serious."

He also said he had ordered the channel's programming director to take steps to ensure that such an incident does not recur.
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(Footage courtesy of MEMRI.org)

The boycott threat was issued by the director of the GPO, Danny Seaman, in response to a program broadcast from Lebanon that covered the welcome-home festivities for Kuntar. In it, the head of Al Jazeera's Beirut office, Ghassan bin Jiddo, heaped praises on Kuntar, for instance by calling him a "pan-Arab hero."

Kuntar was convicted of the murder of four Israelis, including two children, during a terrorist attack in Nahariya in 1979. He was released last month as part of a deal with Hezbollah. In exchange, Israel received the bodies of kidnapped soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev.

Bin Jiddo is known to be sympathetic to Hezbollah, and he was even awarded Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah's first interview of the Second Lebanon War. A few weeks ago, he was interviewed on a Syrian television station and said that he would never agree to interview Israelis, even though he knows that Al Jazeera's official policy is to interview Israelis.

This is not the first time Israel has protested Al Jazeera's coverage, but for its protests to result in an apology is unusual.

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      1.   The term "Al Jazeera`s ethics" is an oxymoron 00:47  |  McQueen 01/01/08
      2.   So they won`t do it again until another child-killer is released 00:48  |  McQueen 01/01/08
      3.   Fighting back works 00:00  |  Slibovitz 01/01/08
      4.   Not surprising 00:17  |  Al 01/01/08
      5.   Kuntar -- a "pan-Arab hero" 00:21  |  Fish 01/01/08
      6.   I don`t get it... 00:06  |  Marni 01/01/08
      7.   al jazeera - mouthpiece of terrorism 00:31  |  Arie 01/01/08
      8.   Fake apology 00:08  |  judith 01/01/08
      9.   Al Jazeera Apology Not Accepted 00:12  |  Shepherd 01/01/08
      10.   Aljazeera should stay objective 00:37  |  Sammy 01/01/08
      11.   Tell me who are your heroes and I`ll tell you who you are 00:17  |  Dan 01/01/08
      12.   wow- they apologised 00:21  |  ka 01/01/08
      13.   This Critic Gives Al Jazeera a thumbs up for 00:26  |  Brad 01/01/08
      14.   AL Jazeera the voice of "moderate Arabs".Celebrates baby killer 00:47  |  PETER SM 01/01/08
      15.   Al Jazera is my second channel after AL Manar :) 00:57  |  Bilal 01/01/08
      16.   Now Al Jazeera`s squirming 00:03  |  Conroy 01/01/08
      17.   With all due respect to the GPO...others spoke out as well... 00:09  |  Ariel 01/01/08
      18.   al jazeera coverage 00:18  |  sam 01/01/08
      19.   Countries Need To Ban Al Jazeera From Their Airways 00:20  |  Dish It Out 01/01/08
      20.   As Long As Al-Jazeera Continues It`s Policy Of... 00:22  |  Yosemite 01/01/08
      21.   To Shepard 00:46  |  Curious 01/01/08
      22.   Sickening to praise a murderer 00:07  |  Laila 01/01/08
      23.   biased station 00:09  |  whowho 01/01/08
      24.   #4 Question to Mr. Sammy from Amman 00:11  |  Moishe Schwanz 01/01/08
      25.   Al-Jazeera:unethical 00:15  |  Ralph 01/01/08
      26.   For Al-Jazeera... we`re not convinced... 00:21  |  Esther 01/01/08
      27.   Don?t believe to voice of hate and provocation 00:26  |  e.m Jordan is Palse 01/01/08
      28.   Fake Apology 00:38  |  Mohamad from Lebanon 01/01/08
      29.   NO REASON FOR APOLOGY 00:44  |  indrajaya 01/01/08
      30.   Re: #4 Sammy 00:44  |  Noah 01/01/08
      31.   KHANFAR MUST BE REPLACE BY SOMEONE ELSE 00:03  |  indrajaya 01/01/08
      32.   Mohamad from Lebanon,i agree 00:37  |  mark hammond 01/01/08
      33.   Leftie Esther from TA who was hailing Kuntar`s release now plays 00:10  |  Absolute Sweden 01/01/08
      34.   To Bilal 00:36  |  Muhamad 01/01/08
      35.   #31 Question to indrajaya 00:37  |  Moishe Swanz 01/01/08
      36.   Moishe Schwanz 00:38  |  Walid 01/01/08
      37.   Many Arabs understand the awkward ... 00:57  |  Edith 01/01/08
      38.   Mohammad from Lebanon 00:58  |  Walid 01/01/08
      39.   How many Israeli child killers are still loose 00:09  |  George 01/01/08
      40.   I know this journal and I´m sure its total biased like all arab´s 00:12  |  JP 01/01/08
      41.   I know this journal and I´m sure its total biased like all arab´s 00:12  |  JP 01/01/08
      42.   Thank you Haaretz, this time at least Lakshmi has been removed 00:27  |  Jew- and Bookburner 01/01/08
      43.   STAY AWAY FROM TROUBLE KUNTAR 00:47  |  indrajaya 01/01/08
      44.   unethical cover of cuntar release 00:48  |  sasun rafi 01/01/08
      45.   No matter what, Al-J is an Arab news station after all. 00:52  |  Harvey 01/01/08
      46.   Al-Jazeera apologizes 00:02  |  Julian 01/01/08
      47.   COME NOW, LADIES AND GENTS? 00:06  |  eric 01/01/08
      48.   The general belief in Lebanon is that Kuntar was framed. 00:07  |  lakshmi 01/01/08
      49.   Al Durah 00:09  |  Juan 01/01/08
      50.   Re: Brad, legitimate claims 00:45  |  Lobo08 01/01/08
      51.   Appolagy is fine but... 00:50  |  Lobo08 01/01/08
      52.   Post 48 of Lakshmi reads exactly as her then post 18 which 00:56  |  Jew- and Bookburner 01/01/08
      53.   Unconvincing? 00:11  |  Murray 01/01/08
      54.   Release of Murderer 00:25  |  Steven 01/01/08
      55.   Who needs their apology... 00:08  |  Dan 01/01/08
      56.   Lobo 08 and obstacles to peace 00:15  |  ZISD 01/01/08
      57.   Absolute 00:20  |  Kimmo 01/01/08
      58.   After watching birthday video, I became nauseated... 00:23  |  bat yam 01/01/08
      59.   Indrajaya`s anti jewish tyrad 00:56  |  Ravi 01/01/08
      60.   #15 bilal beruit 00:01  |  John Allen 01/01/08
      61.   Sad commentary on a sick society 00:07  |  Gilles 01/01/08
      62.   #59 Ravil in India. 00:19  |  John Allen 01/01/08
      63.   Understanding murder, madness & morals. 00:34  |  common sense 01/01/08
      64.   Credibility check 00:06  |  Natallie Durson 01/01/08
      65.   Watch Al-Jazeera, Watch BBC, but know their slant 00:26  |  ZISD 01/01/08
      66.   #64 natalie, agreed 00:34  |  boxley 01/01/08
      67.   # 1 McQueen ....I just loved their report on the Saudi 00:45  |  Lynn 01/01/08
      68.   Last I checked Nutty credibility..none.Wants to marry 10 yr daugh 00:48  |  Genuine Tosefta 01/01/08
      69.   #15 Bilal of Beirut....I used to admire the Lebanese 00:49  |  Lynn 01/01/08
      70.   Yoav Stern is the most impartial reporter on Haaretz 00:54  |  Genuine Tosefta 01/01/08
      71.   Walid...at least you have the right perspective 00:55  |  Lynn 01/01/08
      72.   #15, Bilal, either you are joking or.... 00:21  |  DR 01/01/08
      73.   Lynn 00:32  |  Walid 01/01/08
      74.   Ibecame to think al-jazerra is not managed by arabs 00:49  |  Siad 01/01/08
      75.   Israeli ministers are war criminals 00:05  |  Kevin 01/01/08
      76.   Kuntar will not need old age pension or Long-term care insurance 00:34  |  Steven 01/01/08
      77.   #43, Indraya, Kuntar is a monster., how can you be happy? 00:43  |  David 01/01/08
      78.   Nothing wrong if ben jeddo does not like israelis 00:10  |  Gisele 01/01/08
      79.   where is apology 00:30  |  alex 01/01/08
      80.   Ironic history 00:42  |  Jim 01/01/08
      81.   Ban CBC 00:43  |  Great White North 01/01/08
      82.   Oops 00:53  |  Alja Haaretz 01/01/08
      83.   Difference between Samir K and IDF 00:54  |  Elias 01/01/08
      84.   Al Jazerra needs to fire Bin Jiddo 00:32  |  Mark B. 01/01/08
      85.   #48 Thank you, Lakshmi 00:50  |  Edith 01/01/08
      86.   Sorry Elias the difference is different 00:59  |  Genuine Tosefta 01/01/08
      87.   Praise the Devil !!! 00:01  |  Hans 01/01/08
      88.   David #77 Monster Rat of Jakarta can be happy for another Monster 00:06  |  Genuine Tosefta 01/01/08
      89.   Thank you very much Lakshmi, for not attending to India`s affairs 00:09  |  Genuine Tosefta 01/01/08
      90.   The Fox News of the Middle East? 00:46  |  W 01/01/08
      91.   #73 Walid.....that is not the perspective I was 00:13  |  Lynn 01/01/08
      92.   Kevin-well said 00:24  |  Elias 01/01/08
      93.   Aljazeera: we didnt meen to 00:44  |  asdf 01/01/08
      94.   Bilal-#15-Glorifying child murderers 00:46  |  Daniel Leopold 01/01/08
      95.   KEVIN Which courts convicted them.?Care to list the judgments? 00:18  |  PETER SM 01/01/08
      96.   KEVIN Dir Yassin. Watch Arab eyewitnesse about so called rape etc 00:25  |  PETER SM 01/01/08
      97.   re 43 Here is one for you indi. 00:54  |  Alan the real one 01/01/08
      98.   re 48 One in the same lakshmi 00:57  |  Alan the real one 01/01/08
      99.   Quite right Natallie... 00:51  |  BBSNews 01/01/08
      100.   #89, Gen. Tosefta to Lakshmi 00:56  |  Silvienne 01/01/08
      101.   AlJazeers "Apology" 00:47  |  ilene 01/01/09
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