Israel’s closure of Al Jazeera West Bank office extended
Israeli authorities have extended a closure order for Al Jazeera’s Ramallah office in the occupied West Bank on January 7th, days after the Palestinian Authority suspended the networks broadcasts for a four-month period, according to The New Arab and agencies.
AFP reports that Israeli soldiers posted the extension order on the morning of January 7th on the entrance of the building of Al Jazeera’s offices in central Ramallah. The Palestinian Authority has complete security control of the city.
The extension lasts 45 days and applies from December 22nd.
The commander of the Israeli army in the occupied West bank, Avi Balut, said the order was the right way forward because the office was being used for “incitement and support for acts of terrorism,” Al Jazeera’s Arabic channel reports.
During September, Israeli forces descended on the Ramallah office and issued a 45-day closure order.
When this happened, staff had been instructed to take their belongings and leave the premises.
Israel’s government had given the green light for a decision in May to prohibit Al Jazeera from broadcasting in Israel and also closed its office for an initial 45 days, which had been extended for a fourth time by a Tel Aviv court in September.
Later in the month, Israel’s government said that it was annulling the press credentials of Al Jazeera journalists in the country.
In September, the network said in a response to the raid of its Ramallah office: “The raid on the office and seizure of our equipment is not only an attack on Al Jazeera, but an affront to press freedom and the very principles of journalism.”
“These oppressive measures are clearly intended to prevent the world from witnessing the reality of the situation in the occupied territories and the ongoing war on Gaza and the devastating impact on innocent civilians.”
READ: Palestinian authority suspends Al Jazeera amid incitement claims
Al Jazeera journalist had “no choice but to surrender” to IDF
The Israeli army has more than once claimed that the network’s reporters in Gaza are “terrorist operatives” affiliated with Hamas or Islamic Jihad.
The channel has denied these allegations and says Israel routinely targets its employees in Gaza.
The Palestinian Authority (PA) has also ordered the suspension of broadcasts by Al Jazeera. The television network criticised this decision on January 2nd as being similar to Israeli practices.
The German foreign ministry referred to the decision as “deeply worrying” and the UN Human Rights office urged the PA to “reverse course and respect its international law obligations.”
On January 2nd, the PA stressed its suspension order was temporary and said that its decision came after a complaint was made from the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate concerning Al Jazeera’s coverage.
The PA said: “These measures shall be applied until Al Jazeera chooses to act in accordance with basic media ethics, including its duty to prevent deliberate disinformation, ban the glorification of violence and end the incitement to armed mutiny.”
On May 5th 2024, Al Jazeera cited “criminal action” when referring to a move by the Israeli government to close its operations in Israel, Arab Weekly and agencies reported.
The New Arab and agencies, AFP, Al Jazeera, The New Arab and agencies
