It's not a "rhetorical attack". Al Jazeera is financed by the Emir of Qatar, that's a fact. The Emir of Qatar is essentially the ruler of that nation, which is an absolute monarchy (ie, the king effectively rules the country).

These are all known facts. "Al Jazeera is widely respected in the journalism world" is not a known fact, to me. From what I see, it is respected by some and less respected by others.