Al Jazeera controversies and criticism crowed the station's Beirut bureau chief, hailing Kuntar as a "pan-Arab hero." On 13 March 2008, Israel announced a "boycott" of the Arabic broadcaster al-Jazeera, accusing it of bias particularly during coverage of the conflict in the Gaza Strip and of slanted coverage favoring Hamas. Ministers will refuse to do interviews and according to some reports, will deny visa applications from its staff. Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Majali Wahbe accused the Qatari-owned station of prioritizing/focusing exclusively on Palestinian suffering, and ignoring Israeli suffering. "We have seen that Al-Jazeera has become part of Hamas ... taking sides and cooperating with people
Al Jazeera Mubasher Al-‘Amma to its pro-Brotherhood slant. The channel's staff were arrested but later released. In the period from 2013 until its suspension it broadcast from Al Jazeera's Doha headquarters running video brought in through other sources such as YouTube and Reuters and press conferences taped from other news organizations in the country. Al Jazeera Mubasher Misr has meanwhile temporarily ceased broadcasting until such time as necessary permits are issued for its return to Cairo in coordination with the Egyptian authorities. Al Jazeera Mubasher Al‘Amma is therefore transmitting on the frequencies of both Al Jazeera Mubasher and Al Jazeera Mubasher Misr. Al Jazeera