September 22nd 2024.
Early on Sunday morning, Israeli troops took action against Al Jazeera's satellite news network by raiding their offices in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. This move comes as part of a larger effort by Israel to target the Qatar-funded broadcaster, as it provides coverage of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.
The raid was broadcast live on Al Jazeera's Arabic-language channel, as Israeli soldiers ordered the office to shut down for a period of 45 days. This comes after a previous incident in May, where Israeli police raided Al Jazeera's broadcast position in East Jerusalem, confiscating equipment and blocking their broadcasts and websites.
This marks the first time that Israel has shut down a foreign news outlet within its borders. However, Al Jazeera has continued to operate in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which are territories that the Palestinians hope to one day have as their own state.
There has been no official statement from Israeli forces regarding the shutdown, and they did not respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press. Al Jazeera has strongly condemned the move, and has continued to broadcast live from Amman, Jordan.
The Israeli troops entered the office and gave a live statement to one of Al Jazeera's reporters, stating that the office would be closed for 45 days and that the staff needed to leave immediately. Later on, footage showed Israeli troops tearing down a banner on the office's balcony, which featured an image of Shireen Abu Akleh, a Palestinian-American journalist who was killed by Israeli forces in 2022.
Walid al-Omari, Al Jazeera's local bureau chief, reported that Israeli troops were confiscating documents and equipment from the bureau, while tear gas and gunshots could be heard in the area.
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate has denounced the Israeli raid and closure, calling it an attack on journalism and media outlets. The Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the West Bank, has also condemned the action.
Al Jazeera has been providing continuous coverage of the Israel-Hamas war, even amidst Israel's ground offensive in the Gaza Strip. It is unclear whether the Israeli military will also target Al Jazeera's operations in Gaza.
While reporting on the war and its casualties, Al Jazeera's Arabic arm has also shared video statements from Hamas and other militant groups in the region. This has led to claims by Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, that the network is inciting violence and harming Israel's security. Al Jazeera has denied these claims and has played a key role in negotiations between Israel and Hamas for a cease-fire.
In related news, the war began when Hamas-led fighters attacked southern Israel on October 7, killing approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 250 more. As of now, around 100 hostages are still being held. Israel's campaign in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of at least 41,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
In addition to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, tensions have also been rising over a potential expansion of the war into Lebanon. Last week, a series of explosions occurred, likely due to sabotage by Israel targeting the Shiite militia Hezbollah. These explosions resulted in the deaths of 37 people, including two children, and the injury of around 3,000 others.
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