Palestinian Authority shuts down Al-Jazeera in occupied West Bank
Al-Jazeera is accused of broadcasting 'misleading and incendiary' reports of the PA's crackdown on the Palestinian resistance in Jenin
The Palestinian Authority (PA) announced on 1 January the suspension of Al-Jazeera's operations in the occupied Palestinian West Bank, citing alleged violations of Palestinian laws.
The official Palestinian news agency WAFA stated that the decision resulted from Al-Jazeera's "manipulation, interference in internal affairs, and dissemination of misleading and incendiary reports."
The PA said the suspension was temporary, pending the network's compliance with legal regulations.
Al-Jazeera condemned the decision and linked it to a broader campaign against its journalists, including its correspondent Mohammed al-Atrash.
The decision follows the Qatari network's critical coverage of the PA's assault on the Palestinian resistance in the Jenin refugee camp.
The PA officially announced the start of its siege and assault against Jenin on 14 December.
It said it aimed to restore order and root out the Jenin Brigade and other factions – which it refers to as "outlaws" and "Iranian gangs" – from the Jenin camp.
At least nine people have been killed, among them children, PA security forces, and commanders of the Jenin Brigade.
On 29 December, a PA sniper shot and killed journalist Shatha Sabbagh with a bullet to the head in the Jenin camp.
Sabbagh's family said the sniper opened fire on Sabbagh while she was stepping outside her home. An eyewitness stated that Sabbagh was holding a child when she was shot.
In her last Instagram post, before she was killed, Sabbagh said a PA officer shouted at her and ordered her not to film banners bearing symbolic images of Palestinians killed by Israeli troops, which PA forces had torn down in the camp.
On 5 May, the Israeli government ratified a decision to close down Al-Jazeera in Israel, shuttering its offices, seizing broadcasting equipment, disconnecting the channel from cable and satellite providers, and restricting access to its websites.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after the cabinet vote on the closure, asserted that Al Jazeera had "harmed Israel's security and incited against soldiers," characterizing the outlet as a "Hamas mouthpiece."