Israeli soldiers, heavily armed and masked, have raided the Al Jazeera bureau in Ramallah, occupied West Bank, and issued a 45-day closure order. The operation occurred amid a broader crackdown on media freedom, with the military accusing the network of “incitement to and support of terrorism.”
The soldiers forcefully entered the building early Sunday and delivered the closure order to Walid al-Omari, the bureau chief. Al Jazeera reporter Jivara Budeiri reported that Israeli forces fired tear gas nearby and confiscated cameras, expressing concern that the military might destroy the network’s archives.
Following the raid, Al Jazeera’s Nida Ibrahim stated that the closure was expected after earlier bans on reporting from inside Israel. The Israeli government had previously prohibited Al Jazeera from operating within its borders in May, citing similar reasons.
Al-Omari condemned the attack, stating it aims to “erase the truth” and prevent the public from accessing accurate information. The Government Media Office in Gaza denounced the closure as a significant violation of press freedom and called on global media organizations to condemn the act.
Palestinian officials criticized the Israeli government’s actions as illegal and a reflection of its claims to democracy while suppressing journalistic freedom. Izzat al-Risheq of Hamas characterized the closure as retaliation for the network’s coverage of Israeli actions.
Media rights groups have condemned Israel’s ongoing restrictions on journalists, particularly in the context of the war in Gaza, where numerous reporters have been killed. Al Jazeera has reaffirmed its commitment to reporting, despite the risks posed by these actions.
This incident underscores the tense environment for media operations in the occupied West Bank, particularly following recent calls for an end to the Israeli occupation by the United Nations General Assembly.
