Palestinian government suspends Al Jazeera channel's operations in West Bank

By Mohammad Sio

ISTANBUL (AA) — The Palestinian government has suspended all operations of the Doha-based Al Jazeera channel in the occupied West Bank, including network broadcasts and office activities, according to a decision announced by the ministerial committee on Wednesday.

The committee, made up of officials from the Ministries of Culture, Interior, and Communications, also temporarily halted the work of Al Jazeera's journalists, staff, teams, and affiliated channels “until the network's legal status is clarified,” according to Palestinian news agency Wafa.

The suspension comes after Palestinian authorities claim that Al Jazeera "aired content deemed to incite violence, spread misleading reports, and attempt to interfere in Palestinian domestic affairs."

The ministerial committee emphasized that the suspension is temporary and will remain in effect until Al Jazeera “complies fully with Palestinian laws and regulations.”

The move follows a series of public campaigns by Palestinian Authority officials and affiliated groups on social media, criticizing Al Jazeera’s coverage of recent clashes between Palestinian security forces and resistance groups in the Jenin refugee camp.

Last week, Al Jazeera condemned what it called an “incitement campaign” against its journalists, particularly correspondent Mohammed Al-Atrash.

In a statement, the network emphasized that its coverage of Jenin's events was balanced, with platforms for both resistance voices and Palestinian security forces.

The Palestinian Authority’s decision followed Israel’s closure of the network’s Ramallah office last September. Forces stormed the office under a military order, confiscating all equipment and documents while barring employees from using their vehicles.

Earlier in May, the Israeli government approved a proposal by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi to shut down Al Jazeera’s offices across Israel. The decision was enacted immediately under the so-called “Al Jazeera Law.”