Israeli forces raid, shut down Al Jazeera's office in Ramallah

ISTANBUL

Israeli 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.

Footage aired by Al Jazeera showed Israeli forces entering the office and delivering the military order to Omari.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli closure of Al Jazeera office as a "flagrant violation of international laws."

In a statement, the ministry called for the swift implementation of a recent UN General Assembly resolution calling for an end to Israeli occupation.

On Wednesday, the UN General Assembly voted in favor of a resolution calling for Israel’s withdrawal from occupied territories within 12 months.

The ministry warned that the international community's silence emboldens Israel’s far-right government to commit further violations and “crimes”.

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate condemned the Israeli raid and closure of the office, calling it a "new attack on journalism and media freedom."

The syndicate urged international organizations and institutions that advocate for journalists' rights and safety to take immediate action to denounce the Israeli decision and ensure it is overturned.

The syndicate also expressed solidarity with Al Jazeera and its journalists, offering its headquarters and resources to assist the network's staff during the enforced closure.

On May 5, the Israeli government decided to ban Al Jazeera, close its offices in Israel and restrict access to its website under a law passed by the Knesset (parliament) that allows the communications minister to shut down foreign networks operating in Israel and confiscate their equipment if the country’s defense minister identifies that their broadcasts pose “an actual harm to the state’s security.”

Despite the ban, the office staff continued to operate from Ramallah, prompting the Israeli Press Office, affiliated with the Prime Minister's office, to revoke the accreditation of its reporters on Sept. 12.

Israeli officials have frequently criticized the Qatar-based television, particularly for its extensive coverage of the brutal Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip.

Israel has continued its deadly onslaught on Gaza following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7 last year, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.

Nearly 41,400 people, mostly women and children, have since been killed and more than 95,700 injured, according to local health authorities.

The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the territory amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi