Short answers, pulled from the story.
Middle East Eye is owned by M.E.E. Limited, a limited company with a single director named Jamal Bessasso. Bessasso, a Kuwait-born Palestinian who listed his nationality as Dutch, held more than 75% of the shares and voting rights in the parent company.
Middle East Eye faced a blockade in the United Arab Emirates on the 29th of June 2016, and Egypt blocked the website in 2019. Jordan's Media Commission barred access in May 2025 following an investigation into high fees charged to NGOs sending humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Four Arab nations, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Bahrain, issued a list of 13 demands that included the closure of the website on the 22nd of June 2017. These governments viewed the outlet as a mouthpiece for the Muslim Brotherhood and a Qatari-funded entity, leading to a diplomatic crisis.
Middle East Eye faced a libel lawsuit in a London court initiated by Mohammed Dahlan seeking damages of up to £250,000. The case dragged on until 2018, when Dahlan dropped his libel claim against Middle East Eye and editor David Hearst, effectively ending the legal battle.
In April 2020, Middle East Eye became one of 20 websites targeted by hackers that cybersecurity experts at ESET have linked to an Israeli surveillance company called Candiru. The website was impacted using a watering hole attack which serves malicious code to certain visitors, allowing the attackers to compromise their PCs.
Middle East Eye terminated its association with Shatha Hammad in October 2022 after it was revealed that she had made antisemitic remarks on social media in 2014, including praising Adolf Hitler. The decision highlighted the ethical challenges faced by news organizations in managing their staff and their public image.