The Israeli occupation forces raided and closed the office of Qatar-based Al Jazeera television in the West Bank city of Ramallah early Sunday, in what has been described as an “arbitrary military decision.”
The Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that Israeli authorities ordered the staff to leave the premises before shutting down the office.
This came amid escalating tensions in the region, with increased scrutiny on media organizations covering Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza.
Israeli forces confiscated documents and equipment from the Al Jazeera office, Wafa said. The army also imposed a 45-day ban on the channel’s operations in the area, citing security concerns.
“A large Israeli force stormed the Al Jazeera office, broke down the outer door, and handed us an order to close it for 45 days,” said Al Jazeera bureau director in the Palestinian territories, Walid Al-Omari.
“They prevented us from approaching the office and informed us that all equipment inside would be confiscated,” he added.
Omari said Israeli soldiers tore down images of Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh, who was killed by Israeli gunfire in Jenin on May 11, 2022.
He called the office closure “a violation of press freedoms” and a continuation of Al Jazeera’s prohibition from operating in Jerusalem and Israel since May 5.
