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Al Jazeera has appointed a Qatari royal as its CEO, raising questions in Israel about the network\u2019s neutrality amid years of strained ties and accusations of bias.<\/p>\n
Al Jazeera<\/a> appointed a member of Qatar\u2019s royal family as its new chief executive officer on Monday, raising renewed concerns in Israel about the network\u2019s editorial independence<\/a> and its alignment with state policy.<\/p>\n The broadcaster announced that Mustafa Sawaj had stepped down as CEO and would be replaced by Nasser al Thani, a member of the ruling Al Thani family. Al Thani has previously served as a Qatari ambassador and has held a seat on the network\u2019s board. This is the first time a member of the royal family has assumed the top executive role at Al Jazeera, which has traditionally appointed veteran journalists with no formal ties to the monarchy.<\/p>\n The leadership transition coincides with Al Jazeera\u2019s participation in a wider campaign titled \u201c<\/strong>Israel kills journalists.\u201d<\/strong> Although the campaign was not initiated by the network, Al Jazeera actively took part in its visual and editorial messaging.<\/p>\n The campaign included a symbolic media blackout, during which over 200 outlets temporarily paused<\/a> regular content or replaced homepage coverage with black screens to protest the killing of journalists in Gaza. Al Jazeera adopted key elements of the campaign across its digital platforms, drawing criticism from Israeli officials who viewed the network\u2019s involvement as part of a broader effort by Qatar to apply pressure on Jerusalem after failed ceasefire talks.<\/p>\n Dr Ariel Admoni of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security said the appointment reflected a wider pattern of power consolidation within Qatar.<\/p>\n