By Abdelsalam Fayez
DOHA, Qatar (AA) – Al Jazeera television denounced an Israeli order on Sunday to close its office in the West Bank city of Ramallah as a “criminal act” that aims to hide Israeli actions in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank.
Israeli army forces raided the Ramallah office early Sunday and ordered its immediate closure.
Documents and equipment were confiscated by Israeli forces, which also imposed a 45-day ban on the channel’s operations in the area, citing security concerns.
“Israel’s ongoing suppression of the free press is blatantly aimed at concealing its actions in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank, in contravention of international and humanitarian law,” Al Jazeera said in a statement.
“Al Jazeera rejects the draconian actions, and the unfounded allegations presented by Israeli authorities to justify these illegal raids,” it added.
The pan-Arab television called the Israeli raid and seizure of equipment “an affront to press freedom and the very principles of journalism.”
“These oppressive measures are clearly intended to prevent the world from witnessing the reality of the situation in the occupied territories and the ongoing war on Gaza and the devastating impact on innocent civilians,” it added.
The broadcaster vowed to continue “to report the truth with integrity, even under the most challenging and dangerous circumstances” despite Israeli “egregious attempts to stifle” its voice.
“Al Jazeera will not be intimidated or deterred by efforts to silence its coverage,” it added.
While holding the Israeli government responsible for the safety of its journalists, Al Jazeera vowed to pursue all available legal channels to protect both its rights and its journalists, as well as the public’s right to information.
On May 5, the Israeli government decided to ban Al Jazeera, close its offices in Israel, and restrict access to its website under a law passed by the Knesset (parliament) that allows the communications minister to shut down foreign networks operating in Israel and confiscate their equipment if the country’s defense minister identifies that their broadcasts pose “an actual harm to the state’s security.”
Despite the ban, the office staff continued to operate from Ramallah, prompting the Israeli Press Office, affiliated with the Prime Minister's office, to revoke the accreditation of its reporters on Sept. 12.
Israeli officials have frequently criticized the Qatar-based television, particularly for its extensive coverage of the brutal Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip.
Israel has continued its deadly onslaught on Gaza following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7 last year, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.
Nearly 41,400 people, mostly women and children, have since been killed and more than 95,700 injured, according to local health authorities.
The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the territory amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine.
Israel faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.
* Writing by Ikram Kouachi