Israel shuts down Al Jazeera’s West Bank headquarters for 45 days.
In Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank, Israel police stormed the offices of Al Jazeera. A news channel, and ordered it to shut down for 45 days.
On Sunday morning, as the broadcast was airing live, masked Israeli troops entered the building armed.
As viewers watched, soldiers delivered the closure order to Walid al-Omari, head of the network’s West Bank bureau. Who read it live on television.
After labeling the Qatar-based news outlet as a danger to Israeli security. Israel in May seized East Jerusalem and conducted an invasion of Al Jazeera’s Nazareth offices.
During an interview, Omari reportedly stated, “Targeting journalists this way always aims to erase the truth and prevent people from hearing the truth.” His company reported his remarks.
According to Al Jazeera journalist Mohammad Alsaafin, the troops forcibly removed Omari from his office and took the final remaining microphone and camera from the street outside.
Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Aqla was slain while documenting an Israeli operation in the West Bank; Alsaafin posted about the raid on social media and reported that the soldiers also tore down a poster of Abu Aqla.
According to the network and eyewitnesses, Israeli forces opened fire on the Palestinian-American journalist. Israel first claimed a Palestinian shot her, but after months of investigation, it was determined there was a “high probability” that an Israeli soldier was responsible for her death.
War in Gaza has severely exacerbated already strained relations between the Israeli government and the Qatari-owned television.
Since outside media are not allowed on the strip, local reporters from Al Jazeera have been among the few who have been able to report on the conflict from the front lines.
Despite Al Jazeera’s denials, Israel has consistently accused the network of being a megaphone for terrorists.
During the war, the Israeli parliament authorized the government to temporarily shut down foreign stations in April, citing concerns about national security.
The raid on Sunday demonstrated that bans are renewable and remain in effect for 45 days.
Raids on the Nazareth and occupied East Jerusalem offices of Al Jazeera occurred in early May.
On Sunday’s operation, Israel has not yet made a statement.
