Ahmed Bin Jassim bin Mohammad Al-Thani , who works with Qatargas, was appointed as Khanfar's replacement Al Jazeera's Director General, Wadah Khanfar, has announced his resignation after eight years as the network's top executive. Khanfar said that he has been discussing his resignation with the Chairman of the Board for some time.
Ahmed Bin Jassim bin Mohammad Al-Thani , who works with Qatargas, was appointed as Khanfar's replacement within a matter of hours.
Despite the official statement, it is believed that Khanfar was forced to resign after falling on the wrong side of Qatar’s Prince, Jassim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.
Khanfar’s dismissal has been ostensibly linked to a Wikileaks document released last month that showed links between Khanfar and the US Defense Intelligence Agency.
Khanfar had reportedly acceded to US demands to tone down language in Al Jazeera’s broadcasts.
The document reportedly pushed Qatar’s Prince to investigate the allegations.
However,  sources suggest that the Wikileaks document is being used as a front to cover for the conflict that emerged between Khanfar and the Palestinian thinker, Azmi Bishara.
Bishara is a close ally of Qatar’s Prince.
Sources within Al Jazeera have reported that Khanfar’s dismissal came as a result of a meeting between Khanfar and the news organisation’s board of directors yesterday.
Khanfar allegedly received a serious warning from one of the Qatari Prince’s assistants last month regarding the conflict with Bishara
The Qatari Prince was reportedly also concerned about Khanfar’s relationship with Islamist movements in the Arab world such as Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood. The Prince allegedly believed that these groups were given more airtime than other non-Islamic groups. Ahmed Mansour, Yasser Mansour, Abu Helalah and Sheikh Raed Salah are among those thought to have received favourtism.
The conflict between Khanfar and Bishara was thought to emerged after Bishara appeared on Al Jazeera. Sources say that Bishara requested on a number of occasions to be titled a “scholar and thinker” as opposed to “member of the Knesset”, but Al Jazeera refused to comply.
This pushed Bishara to seek the Prince’s intervention.
Khanfar was allegedly furious with Bishara’s complaint, stating: “I do not work for Azmi Bishara.”
The Prince’s representative responded: "You know the relationship between the Prince and Dr. Azmi, and the instructions are clear to you regarding this issue.
The source confirmed that Khanfar, who is backed by the popular Islamic scholar Al-Qaradawi, was also in conflict with the Chairman of the Board of Directors Sheikh Hamad bin Samer Al-Thani, the Prince’s nephew.
This conflict was thought to have recently escalated.
A source inside Al Jazeera expressed concern about Bishara’s influence within the news organisation.
The source described him as an “octopus” because of his strong ties to officials throughout the network.
Bishara has reportedly handed Al Jazeera a list of politicians and media professionals that should appear on Al Jazeera, and a list of those who have not.
Rumours have circulated that Bishara may be appointed as a consultant to Al Jazeera, or as an official in the Prince’s court.