Israeli military storms, closes Al Jazeera’s West Bank offices

September 23, 2024

Jake Maslo

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Israeli troops raided Al Jazeera’s office in Ramallah, West Bank, early Sunday, Sept. 22, marking another severe action against the media network known for its detailed coverage of Israeli military operations. During the operation, more than 20 armed soldiers issued a 45-day closure order and evacuated the staff, seizing crucial broadcasting equipment.

Al Jazeera broadcast the raid live, showing soldiers ordering staff to exit within minutes and confiscating equipment including the microphone of bureau chief Walid al-Omari.

Israel accused Al Jazeera of inciting terror and being a conduit for Hamas and Hezbollah propaganda, claims the network denies, condemning the raid as a criminal act against press freedom. Al Jazeera insists such actions will not deter its commitment to reporting on the region’s events.

This closure follows a broader pattern of Israeli actions targeting the press, particularly Al Jazeera, which has consistently reported from the front lines of conflict zones.

The Israeli government had previously shut down Al Jazeera’s East Jerusalem bureau and has extended such measures under a new law allowing them to close foreign media offices deemed a security threat.

The Ramallah office’s doors were reportedly welded shut after the raid, and the military cited a 1945 mandate-era law for the closure, a measure that Al Jazeera can appeal within seven days through the Israeli military court system.

The Committee to Protect Journalists has expressed concern, emphasizing that such actions severely undermine the public’s right to know and the media’s ability to operate freely in conflict zones.

Tags: Al Jazeera, Benjamin Netanyahu, Hamas, Israel, Israel Defense Forces, Jerusalem, Journalism, Palestine, West Bank

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Full story

Al Jazeera broadcast the raid live, showing soldiers ordering staff to exit within minutes and confiscating equipment including the microphone of bureau chief Walid al-Omari.

This closure follows a broader pattern of Israeli actions targeting the press, particularly Al Jazeera, which has consistently reported from the front lines of conflict zones.