By Rana Muhammad Taha

CAIRO, Dec 23 (Aswat Masriya) – The staff of the Qatari news network al-Jazeera’s Egyptian channel only knew of the channel’s suspension shortly before the network announced it on Monday evening, one of the presenters said.

Zein Tawfiq, television presenter at the now suspended Jazeera Mubasher Misr channel, told Aswat Masriya on Tuesday the intention to suspend the channel had been “sensed”.

“It was officially announced on Monday, though,” Tawfiq said.

The suspension came two days after Egypt and Qatar "responded" to the Saudi monarch's invitation "to consolidate relations between them".

The channel said it is due to last until the "circumstances are appropriate" for return. It added that it is seeking the conclusion of necessary permits for broadcasting in Egypt, in coordination with the authorities.

The administrative court ordered on September 3 Egypt's NileSat Satellite to halt the channel's broadcast. 

Tawfiq said that the channel had already received a permit to broadcast from Egypt’s Media Production City last year. The broadcast was due to begin in August 2013, yet the plan fell through after the military ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Mursi in July 2013 following mass protests against his rule.

Commenting on a possible change in Jazeera’s editorial policy should it return to broadcast from Egypt, Tawfiq said that the matter “remains to be seen.”

“I believe that Jazeera will not return to air if there isn’t enough space for freedom … which is the case in Egyptian media in the time being,” Tawfiq said.

During the process of pursuing the necessary permits, Jazeera Mubashir Misr will merge its staff and programmes with Jazeera’s general live channel, Tawfiq said.

Saudi King Abdullah had urged Egypt in November to back an agreement between three gulf countries brokered in Riyadh to restore diplomatic relations with Qatar.

Egypt has withdrawn its ambassador to the Gulf state in March following critical comments made by Qatari emir Sheik Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Egypt's domestic affairs.

Egyptian ties with Qatar have deteriorated following Mursi’s military ouster.

Qatar was a strong supporter of Mursi's regime. Its protest over the Islamist president's ouster led to tension with other gulf states who support Egypt's new regime, mostly Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Jazeera's Cairo bureau was shut down after the ouster of Mursi in July 2013. The Qatari channel, whose slogan is providing "the opinion and the other opinion," has long been accused of supporting Egypt's Islamist political factions, especially the Muslim Brotherhood.

Earlier in June, a criminal court sentenced three journalists from Jazeera to seven years in prison on charges of defaming Egypt and spreading false news in the case known as the "Marriott Cell".

The three defendants are Australian award-winning journalist Peter Greste, Egyptian-Canadian former BBC producer Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed. The latter was sentenced to an additional three years for arms possession.

Several human rights organisations and journalists have criticised the verdict. The United Kingdom and Netherlands both summoned the Egyptian ambassador to protest against the "disappointing" verdict.