The early morning raid has sparked condemnation, with the Foreign Press Association urging Israel to reconsider, adding that the action “threatens press freedom”.
Israeli forces have raided the West Bank office of news network Al Jazeera and ordered it to shut down.
The early morning raid in the city of Ramallah sparked condemnation, with the Foreign Press Association urging Israel to reconsider and saying the action “threatens press freedom”.
Al Jazeera, a Qatar-funded broadcaster, aired footage of Israeli troops ordering the office to be shut for 45 days live on its Arabic-language channel.
The network later aired what appeared to be Israeli troops tearing down a banner on a balcony used by the Al Jazeera office. The media company said it bore an image of Shireen Abu Akleh, a Palestinian-American journalist shot dead by Israeli forces in May 2022.
Ramallah bureau chief Walid al Omari said the Israeli order to shut down accused Al Jazeera of “incitement to and support of terrorism”.
He said the soldiers had confiscated the office’s cameras before leaving.
