Palestinian authority stops Al Jazeera operations in the West Bank

Palestinian authority stops Al Jazeera operations in the West Bank

The Palestinian authority has excluded the Al Jazera media group from reporting and operating in occupied West Bank. The reason for this decision is allegations that the network of "creating material" and "misleading reports", which "cause unrest and interfere in the internal affairs of the Palestinians", as the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported on Wednesday.

temporary suspension of employees

The decision also includes the temporary suspension of all journalists and employees associated with Al Jazera, as well as from all channels operating under the network until the legal status has been clarified. This is done due to Al Jazeera alleged violations of the laws and regulations applicable in Palestine. Al Jazeera condemned the decision and described it as "in accordance with the practices of the crew against their crews".

response to the measures of the Palestinian authority

In a video by Al Jazera you can see how three Palestinian security forces enter a hotel room in Ramallah and hand over a letter to a journalist named Najwan Simri, which he then signed. The letter, which comes from the Attorney General of the Palestinian Authority, Akram Al-Khateb, calls for the “ban and suspension of all operations of the Al Jazera satellite canal and his office in Palestine as well as the temporary suspension of the work of all journalists who are associated with the broadcaster, whose crew and connected canals, until the situation corrects the situation is ".

historical context of the restrictions

This is the first time that Al Jazeera of Palestinian authorities, including the Palestinian authority, which manages some parts of the occupied West Bank, have been imposed on such restrictions. Israeli officials, on the other hand, have repeatedly tried to silence the news portal by setting his operations in May, confiscating equipment and stopping the programs.

allegations of bias and censorship

The government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long sued Al Jazera's activities and accused the network an anti-Israeli bias, as well as accused of being a "mouthpiece for Hamas". Al Jazeera rejected these claims as "bottomless allegations". Months after the office was closed in Jerusalem, Israeli forces stormed the office in Ramallah in September. Al Jazera said that "she would continue to report on the war in Gaza and the continued crew of the Palestinian areas as well as the regional escalation". Since then, Al Jazera employees have been using the title "Journalist" instead of "Correspondent of the Network" for reports from West Bank.

Legal challenges and public reactions

After the announcement of the Palestinian authority, Al Jazeer confirmed his "commitment to report events and developments in West Bank with full professionalism". The decision was made by the specialized Ministerial Commission of the Palestinian Authority, which includes the ministries for culture, internal and communication. Lawyers such as Muhannad Karajah from Lawyers for Justice - an independent group of lawyers based in Ramallah - contested the legality of the command that does not come from a judicial judgment.

criticism and appeal to freedom of the press

al Jazera “surprised” about the decision of the Palestinian authority and explained that it was “fully responsible” for the safety of the network in West Bank. The news portal asked the authority to revoke their decision and allow the teams to continue their reporting in the area of "without intimidation". Other voices in the Palestinian areas supported Al Jazeera's call to withdraw the decision.

The echo in public and with political representatives

The independent Palestinian politician and chair of the Palestinian National Initiative, Mostafa Al Barghouti, explained that the Palestinian reporters of the network are exposed to "ongoing attacks by the occupation" and that the command "does not use the Palestinian people or their fair things, nor are those who have made this decision". The Palestinian Center for the Protection of Journalists, a NGO -based NGO, also condemned the decision as "a shameful attack on freedom of the press". Hamas rated the decision as "illegal and unfounded".

This development raises serious questions about freedom of the press and reporting on the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis.