The Palestinian Ministerial Committee, comprising representatives from the Ministries of Culture, Interior, and Telecommunications, on Wednesday announced the suspension of the broadcast operations of the Qatar-based Al Jazeera Media Network in the PA, WAFA reported.
The committee also ordered the temporary suspension of work by all journalists, staff, and associated channels affiliated with Al Jazeera.
On May 4, 2024, the Israeli government shut down Al Jazeera’s operations in Israel and authorized the confiscation of its equipment. This action followed the passage of a new law granting the prime minister and communications minister the power to temporarily close foreign media outlets on national security grounds. Later, on September 22, 2024, Israeli military authorities shut down Al Jazeera’s bureau in Ramallah. In response, the Foreign Press Association’s Board of Directors stated, “Restricting foreign reporters and closing news channels signals a shift away from democratic values.”
To date, the Qatari channel which is closely affiliated with Hamas, including employing Hamas terrorists in front of and behind the camera, has also been expelled from Iraq, Egypt, and China.
According to WAFA, “The suspension is reportedly temporary and will remain in effect until the network addresses its legal status in accordance with Palestinian regulations.”
It appears that Al Jazeera “repeated violations of Palestinian laws and regulations. Authorities accused the network of broadcasting inciteful content, spreading misinformation, and interfering in internal Palestinian affairs, which they claimed stirred division and instability.”
The timing of the decision had to do with Al-Jazeera’s speaking out against the PA security forces’ arrest operation against Islamic Jihad terrorists in the Jenin camp. The channel incited against the security forces, who lost five of their members in the exchange of fire with the terrorists.
On Sunday, when a journalism student was killed in the Jenin camp, Al-Jazeera accused the security forces of killing her – even though the forces claimed they had not been in the neighborhood at the time (PA Sniper Kills Arab Journalist in Jenin: Will International Community Respond?).
This incident infuriated senior PA officials, especially when the channel reported that security forces were killing civilians.
Incidentally, according to Ynet, the killed student’s brother was a wanted Hamas terrorist, and she was assisting the Jenin Brigade, which is affiliated with Islamic Jihad and Hamas.
Finally, Al Jazeera’s senior political analyst Marwan Bishara suggested that the PA’s decision to shut down Al Jazeera was shocking but hardly surprising.
