Israeli forces stormed Al Jazeera’s Ramallah bureau early
Sunday, ordering an immediate 45-day closure and confiscating equipment, a move
sharply condemned by journalists and rights advocates. The Israeli government
justifies the closure as a response to “incitement to and support of
terrorism,” while media groups and Palestinian officials denounce it as a grave
attack on press freedom.
Israeli Soldiers Shut Al Jazeera's West Bank Bureau Amid Crackdown
In a dramatic escalation of Israel’s ongoing clampdown on
foreign media, heavily armed and masked Israeli soldiers raided Al Jazeera’s
office in Ramallah, in the West Bank, before dawn on Sunday, delivering an
order to close the bureau for 45 days. As detailed in a live broadcast by the
Qatari-owned news outlet, staff were given only 10 minutes to vacate the
premises, with personal belongings and cameras, after which Israeli forces
confiscated the remaining equipment and documents.
According to Al Jazeera’s bureau chief Walid Al-Omari, who spoke live on the network, Israeli troops justified their actions by accusing Al Jazeera of
"incitement to and support of terrorism."
The closure
order and accusations were presented in writing, and the legal team for Al
Jazeera has reportedly taken possession of the documents for further review.
How Did the Raid Unfold?
Footage aired by Al Jazeera and corroborated by the BBC
shows Israeli troops entering the Ramallah bureau, ordering staff to abandon
the office at once. Journalists reported that banners featuring the late
Shireen Abu Akleh—a Palestinian-American Al Jazeera journalist fatally shot by
Israeli forces in May 2022—were forcibly taken down and removed from the
balcony overlooking the city’s main square.
Al Jazeera’s Jivara Budeiri and Mohammad Alsaafin described
how soldiers deployed tear gas nearby and, with weapons drawn, seized cameras,
computers, and ultimately forced chief Al-Omari from the premises.
What Legal Authority Backed the Raid?
As reported by Al Jazeera’s Nida Ibrahim and confirmed by
The BBC, the Israeli military cited a wartime regulation first introduced under
the British Mandate, which currently allows Israeli authorities temporary
authority to shut down broadcasters seen as security threats for periods of 45
days at a time.
Israeli communications minister Shlomo Karhi confirmed the order, asserting publicly, as quoted by Sky News, that Al Jazeera acts as “the mouthpiece” of both Gaza’s Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militants.
“We will continue to fight in the enemy’s channels and ensure the safety of our heroic fighters,”
Karhi added, defending the operation.
Why Did Israel Order Al Jazeera’s Closure?
The channel’s legal status in Israel and the Palestinian
territories has long been fraught. Tensions have escalated since May, when an
initial 45-day ban prohibited Al Jazeera from operating within Israel on
similar grounds—claims of incitement and support for terrorism. That ban,
extended repeatedly, mirrors the new closure imposed on Sunday in the
Israeli-occupied West Bank.
What Has Been the Reaction from Journalists and Rights Groups?
The Foreign Press Association (FPA), an organisation representing foreign journalists in Israel and the Palestinian territories, quickly condemned the action, with the group stating via Sky News,
“Restricting foreign reporters and closing news channels signals a shift away from democratic values”.
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate sharply criticised the closure as
“a new aggression against journalistic work and media outlets,”
while the Committee to Protect Journalists in New York termed the raid “deeply
concerning,” urging the parties to respect journalists’ rights and safety.
Heba Morayef, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, described the incident as
“a shameless attack on the right to freedom of expression and a crushing blow for press freedom.”
She said,
“Amid escalating violations of international law, including through military operations in the occupied West Bank and relentless unlawful attacks in the occupied Gaza Strip… access for journalists is crucial. The shutdown … is a brazen attempt to limit reporting on their violations of international humanitarian and human rights law” (Amnesty International, Heba Morayef).
What Does Al Jazeera Say About the Raid?
Al Jazeera, through statements delivered by senior staff and on its own broadcasts, forcefully denounced the Israeli order, calling it a
“criminal act that violates human rights and the fundamental right to information”.
In a May statement responding to an earlier Israeli ban, the network accused Israel of seeking to obscure its actions in Gaza and
“deliberately targeting and killing journalists, along with arrests, intimidation, and threats, to deter reporting on the war”.
The raid reportedly comes after discussions and prior hints
from Israeli authorities that such a closure might occur—though, as described
by reporter Nida Ibrahim, Al Jazeera staff did not anticipate the operation
happening Sunday.
What Impact Has the Ban Had on Media Coverage?
Al Jazeera remains one of the few international media organisations
with staff actively reporting from Gaza and the West Bank. Since the conflict
dramatically intensified in October of the previous year, Israel has barred
foreign journalists from independently entering or reporting from Gaza, citing
security reasons.
Since then, press advocacy groups estimate Israel has killed
at least 173 journalists in Gaza and the West Bank as of September 2024, a
statistic the Government Media Office in Gaza supplied and which includes
several Al Jazeera correspondents. Among them was Ismail Abu Omar, seriously
injured in an Israeli hit in February 2024, and Shireen Abu Akleh, whose
shooting provoked international outrage.
How Have Palestinian Officials and Political Movements Responded?
Mustafa Barghouti, secretary-general of the Palestinian National Initiative, told Al Jazeera that Israel “lacks the legal authority” to close any office in Ramallah because the area falls under the Palestinian Authority, which, he stressed, issued Al Jazeera’s valid operating licence.
“This exposes the true face of Israel—a nation claiming democracy while undermining press freedom,” Barghouti said (as reported by Al Jazeera).
Izzat al-Risheq, a senior member of Hamas, called the closure “retaliatory” against Al Jazeera’s role in exposing
“the occupation’s violations against our people” and described it as part of a “declared war against journalists”.
Has Israel Responded to International Criticisms?
The Israeli government has, so far, defended its moves under
the rubric of national security. While Israeli officials have not publicly
commented specifically on Sunday’s operation, government statements in May and
now from the communications ministry continue to attribute the shutdown to the
perceived threat Al Jazeera poses through “incitement” and by allegedly serving
Hamas and other militant interests.
Israel’s parliament recently passed legislation enabling the
communications minister to temporarily ban broadcasters deemed security threats
during wartime, an authority now exercised against Al Jazeera for the second
time since the onset of the Gaza conflict.
What Is the Future for Press Freedom in the Region?
Media advocacy organisations and rights groups warn that the
closure portends further crackdowns on independent reporting, particularly with
the ongoing conflict. The Foreign Press Association maintains that such actions
“threaten the core values of democracy” and may embolden further attacks on
journalists and restrictions on access to information.
For now, Al Jazeera’s headquarters and international
supporters vow that the order, the raids, and ongoing intimidation—from
equipment confiscation to direct attacks on journalists—will not silence their
coverage of the situation in Gaza and the West Bank, with reporting continuing
from alternative locations and via digital platforms.