In July 2003, this channel presented a tape in which Saddam Hussein qualifies his dead sons Uday and Qusay as martyrs that died for the honour of Iraq.
On September 23, 2003, Iraq suspends Al-Arabiya from reporting on official government activities for two weeks for what the Council states as supporting recent attacks on council members and Coalition occupational forces. The move comes after allegations by Iraqis who state the channel has incited anti-occupation violence (by airing statements from resistance leaders), increasing ethnic and sectarian tensions, and being supportive of the lawless resistance.