Ariel Sharon's Al-Jazeera interview cancelled at last minute

Ha'aretz ^ | April 10, 2002 | Ha'aretz Service and Itim

[RealistOne]

Qatar-based satellite TV station Al-Jazeera cancelled a planned interview with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, which was due to be broadcast Tuesday, after Palestinian leaders called on the station not go ahead with the interview.

The Prime Minister's Office said that it called off the interview because of "technical problems and Al-Jazeera's failure to honor its agreement" with Sharon's advisers.

Sharon's media spokesman, Arnon Pearlman, said that Al-Jazeera cancelled the interview because Sharon was not willing to answer questions via speakerphone.

According to Pearlman, the original agreement was that the station's correspondent in Jerusalem would ask the questions, and when Al-Jazeera decided that the channel's anchorman in Qatar would ask the questions, the prime minister's advisers objected.

Al-Jazeera said that the cancellation was due to Sharon's insistance on certain conditions. "It appears that the policy of dictates and conditions is stewed in Sharon's mentality, not only in dealing with politics but also with the media," the station's announcer said.

Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo had earlier called on Al-Jazeera to cancel the interview, saying that the Israeli premier is "a terrorist, who continues to commit crimes against the Palestinian people." He also said that he had sent a written request to the station, demanding that they cancel the interview.

Speaking on Israel Radio, MK Ahmed Tibi denied that Al-Jazeera pulled the plug on the interview because of Palestinian and Arab pressure. Tibi said that the prime minister's bureau was to blame for the cancellation, after it presented Al-Jazeera with several preconditions for the interview.

"Al-Jazeera wanted to conduct the interview," said Tibi. "They were in Sharon's bureau and the cameras were ready to roll."

[Hugin]

According to Pearlman, the original agreement was that the station's correspondent in Jerusalem would ask the questions, and when Al-Jazeera decided that the channel's anchorman in Qatar would ask the questions, the prime minister's advisers objected.

Al-Jazeera said that the cancellation was due to Sharon's insistance on certain conditions. "It appears that the policy of dictates and conditions is stewed in Sharon's mentality, not only in dealing with politics but also with the media," the station's announcer said.

It appears that the Arab media doesn't honor their agreements any more than the Arab thug terrorsts leaders.

[PokeyJoe]

and I guess that Arafat's "hangup" on an interview 2 weeks ago was forgiven by Al'Jazera.

[mmmmmmmm....... donuts]

this is an old story, i'm not sure why it appeared on the web site but it occured the day beofre the arab league meeting started.

[HELLRAISER II]

Roughly translated the Kings & dictators of the Middle Eastern Countries don't want their sheeple to hear the truths over AraFarts & their lies.

[johniegrad]

HERE'S ONE YOU MIGHT LIKE, LADY!