Mehdi Hasan, the MSNBC host fired by the leftist network while amplifying anti-Israel content in the wake of the October 7 terror attack against the Jewish State, is returning to Al Jazeera. The news network is owned by Qatar, where an absolute monarch rules according to the precepts of Islamic Sharia law.
The British-born Muslim’s willingness to work for the Qatari dictatorship starkly contrasts his attitude towards Britain’s constitutional monarchy. After his firing at MSNBC, he bragged in an interview about avoiding singing the British national anthem as a youth due to “issue[s] with the Royal Family.”
“Being able to debate, respectfully but robustly, is at the core of my journalism and Al Jazeera has always provided a space and home for this kind of work,” said Hasan, per an Al Jazeera press release.
“I’m looking forward to being back in the ‘Head to Head’ interviewer chair after four years away, on a network that has always allowed me to ask the tough questions.”
His revived ‘Head to Head’ show will be filmed in London, England, and air from August until November—when the U.S. election takes place.
Al Jazeera is banned in states including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), partly due to allegations Qatar sponsors international terrorism.
Despite presenting as a left-wing progressive, Hasan, who holds U.S. citizenship, has a history of expressing extreme religious views. These include a belief that non-Muslims are “cattle” who “live their lives as animals,” exposed in leaked recordings of sermons he preached in Britain.
The new season of @AJEnglish’s groundbreaking show ‘Head to Head’ will be airing from August through November 2024, with @mehdirhasan returning to face off with influential leaders to tackle some of the most pressing issues of our time. @AJHeadtoHead pic.twitter.com/NSkTL4cFVK
— Al Jazeera PR (@AlJazeera) June 19, 2024