Israeli forces raid Al Jazeera office in West Bank, order bureau to shut within 45 days
‘I ask you to take all the cameras and leave the office at this moment,’ the troops told the network’s bureau chief.
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Qatar-based news network Al Jazeera said on Sunday that Israeli forces raided its office in the West Bank’s Ramallah city, ordering the bureau to shut down within 45 days.
The network’s West Bank bureau chief Walid al-Omari said that the closure order accused Al Jazeera of “incitement to and support of terrorism”.
“There is a court ruling for closing down Al Jazeera for 45 days,” the troops reportedly told al-Omari. “I ask you to take all the cameras and leave the office at this moment.”
Al Jazeera’s correspondent Jivara Budeiri said that Israeli forces confiscated their cameras. Videos on social media later showed the troops tearing down photos of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh from the facade of the office.
Akleh was allegedly shot in the head in May 2022 when she was covering an Israeli raid in Jenin, West Bank.
The closure order comes against the backdrop of Israel’s war on Gaza, which has been ongoing for nearly a year.
Israel’s military offensive against Gaza began on October 7 after Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an incursion into southern Israel, killing 1,200 persons and taking over 200 hostages. Since then, Israel has been carrying out unprecedented air and ground strikes on Gaza. The attacks have killed more than 40 thousand persons, including 16,500 children.
In August, Israel also launched military operations in the...
