- Israeli forces raided Al Jazeera’s Ramallah office, ordering a 45-day closure during a live broadcast, citing national security concerns
- Al Jazeera’s bureau chief criticized the raid as an attempt to suppress truth, while Israeli officials have previously labeled the network a security threat
Israeli forces have raided Al Jazeera’s office in Ramallah, located in the occupied West Bank, ordering its closure for 45 days.
The raid took place early Sunday during a live broadcast, with armed and masked Israeli soldiers entering the building. Viewers witnessed the moment as troops handed a closure order to Al Jazeera’s West Bank bureau chief, Walid al-Omari, who read it live on air. The Israeli government has previously labelled the Qatar-based network a national security threat, leading to similar raids in Nazareth and East Jerusalem in May.
Omari commented on the raid, “Targeting journalists this way always aims to erase the truth and prevent people from hearing the truth.” Israeli forces also confiscated equipment and forced staff, including Omari, to leave the office, according to Al Jazeera journalist Mohammad Alsaafin. He added that the soldiers even took down a poster of Shireen Abu Aqla, an Al Jazeera reporter who was killed by Israeli forces during a raid in the West Bank.
Israel initially claimed Abu Aqla was shot by a Palestinian but later admitted there was a “high probability” one of its soldiers was responsible. Relations between Al Jazeera and Israel have been strained, especially since the Gaza war began. With foreign journalists banned from entering Gaza, Al Jazeera reporters have been among the few covering the conflict from the ground.
The Israeli government has repeatedly accused Al Jazeera of being a “terrorist mouthpiece,” a claim the network strongly denies. In April, Israel passed a law allowing the government to shut down foreign broadcasters deemed a security threat during wartime, with bans lasting for 45 days and subject to renewal. Israel has not yet commented on the latest raid.