Israeli soldiers conducted a forceful raid on Al Jazeera’s bureau in Ramallah, located in the occupied West Bank, demanding the news network to cease operations as part of a broader crackdown on media freedom.
The heavily armed and masked Israeli soldiers entered the building housing Al Jazeera’s bureau and served a 45-day closure order to Walid al-Omari, the network’s West Bank bureau chief, early on Sunday.
Al-Omari revealed that the Israeli military accused the network of promoting terrorism through incitement and support.
Jivara Budeiri from Al Jazeera reported that tear gas was used by Israeli forces near their bureau at al-Manara Square in Ramallah. She expressed concerns about potential destruction of Al Jazeera’s archives stored in the office after cameras were confiscated by soldiers.
Israeli military vehicles departed from Ramallah following the raid.
Nida Ibrahim from Al Jazeera stated that the closure order was not unexpected given previous threats from Israeli officials. The ban on reporting inside Israel earlier set a precedent for such actions against media outlets.
‘To erase the truth’
The recent raid follows Israel’s previous ban on Al Jazeera operating within its borders after conflict in Gaza. The initial 45-day closure order has been extended, preventing journalists from reporting inside Israel since then.
Bureau chief al-Omari expressed concerns about potential damage to their office by Israeli soldiers targeting journalists in this manner.
Article from www.aljazeera.com