According to Qatari TV channel Al Jazeera, Israeli soldiers stormed the company’s offices in the occupied West Bank and ordered it to temporarily close.
Heavily armed and masked Israeli soldiers entered the building on Sunday morning and imposed a 45-day closure, the report said. They did not give a reason for the decision.
Risk to national security?
The Israeli government had already used an emergency law in May to shut down the station’s operations in Israel. The so-called Al Jazeera law allows the Israeli government to shut down foreign TV channels if they are deemed a risk to state security.
Video: TV channels severely restricted in May
“criminal act”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the Arabic broadcaster as a “mouthpiece” of the Islamist Hamas that had damaged Israel’s security. Al Jazeera had rejected the accusations, calling it a “criminal act”.
The Palestinian Journalists Association has strongly condemned the temporary closure of Al Jazeera’s Ramallah office, saying Israel’s military order is arbitrary and a further attack on journalistic work that exposes crimes against the Palestinian people.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
