Israeli soldiers entered the offices of the Qatari channel Al Jazeera in Rammallah in the occupied West Bank, issuing a 45-day closure order. This is not the first time the Qatari channel has been criticized by the Israeli government.
2 min
Qatari TV channel Al Jazeera announced that Israeli forces raided its offices in Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank, on Sunday, September 22, and issued a 45-day closure order, reports theAgence France-Presse.
Also readWael al-Dahdouh, symbol of Palestinian journalists in times of war in Gaza
An Israeli soldier told journalist Walid al-Omari: “IThere is a court order to shut down Al Jazeera for 45 days “, the channel reported, citing the conversation that was broadcast live. I ask you to take all your cameras and leave the office immediately. “, the soldier continued.
According to footage from the channel, the soldiers entered masked and heavily armed. Al Jazeera claims that they did not give a reason for this closure order.
Press card revocations
On September 12, the Israeli government announced the revocation of the press cards of several journalists fromAl Jazeerafour months after banning its broadcast and closing its office in Israel.
Also readGaza Strip: a turning point in media coverage?
The closure had not previously affected the channel’s work in the West Bank or the Gaza Strip, where journalists fromAl Jazeera are there to cover the war between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas.
The Israeli military has repeatedly accused Qatari journalists in Gaza of being ” terrorist agents ” affiliated with Hamas or Islamic Jihad, one of its allies. For its part, Al Jazeera rejects Israeli accusations and says Israel systematically targets its reporters deployed in the Gaza Strip.
Also readGaza Strip: Informing at the risk of one’s life, more than a mission, a duty