Israel’s military has raided and ordered the closure of Al Jazeera’s office in Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank, the network said.
Al Jazeera broadcast live footage early on Sunday of Israeli soldiers entering its offices in Ramallah, capturing the reactions of bureau chief Walid Omary and staff members live on air.
During the video broadcast by Al Jazeera, a soldier can be heard informing Omar of a military order to close Al Jazeera’s office for 45 days.
Reading the military order given to him on air, Omary said staff members had only ten minutes to take their personal belongings and cameras and vacate the office.
When Omary asked the Israeli soldiers why the office was being closed, he was told the reason had been provided in the written military order.
A security guard on shift at the time told CNN the soldiers used explosives to breach the building’s entrance.
My eyes were heavy, and I was almost asleep when I suddenly saw them breaking the main door,” said Abu Amer. “I stood up to see what they were doing. They threw the first bomb and then the second.”
“I tried to run away to the stairs and get some distance from them. I was so scared.”
Al Jazeera’s office in Ramallah has been operational for decades. It became even more essential for the network after Israel shut down its Jerusalem office and seized some of its communication equipment in May, prompting condemnation from the United Nations and rights groups over what they said were Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s moves to restrict press freedoms.
CNN sees extensive damage
After Al Jazeera staff left the Ramallah office, live footage showed Omary and others in the street outside, as the journalist said soldiers had taken over the office and were confiscating materials.
Shortly after, as Israeli soldiers approached Omary, the live video feed was cut, and Omary could be heard saying that soldiers had taken the camera and broadcast equipment the team had been using.
At the scene, CNN found extensive damage to the exterior and interior of the ‘City Center’ building which also houses several stores and other offices. Several steps leading up to the building were damaged and missing tiles whilst the main door was entirely missing.
The entrance to the Al Jazeera workspace had been entirely sealed off with iron doors which the security guard told CNN were installed by the Israeli military. Three CCTV cameras were also missing after being confiscated by officers by Israeli soldiers.
The Israeli military recently raided and ordered the closure of Al Jazeera’s office in Ramallah, located in the occupied West Bank. The incident was broadcast live by Al Jazeera early Sunday morning, showing soldiers entering the office, disrupting operations, and informing staff of the closure. Bureau chief Walid Omary and other employees were captured on air as they were given a military order to vacate the office within 10 minutes. The military order cited that the office would be shut down for 45 days, but the reason for this action was not made clear by the soldiers.
Omary, upon reading the military order on air, expressed surprise at the limited time given to collect personal belongings and equipment. When he inquired about the reasons behind the closure, the Israeli soldiers directed him to the written order but did not provide an immediate verbal explanation.
According to Al Jazeera, this was not the first time their operations had been disrupted by Israeli authorities. In May, the network’s Jerusalem office was also shut down, and equipment was confiscated. This earlier action prompted widespread criticism from various human rights groups and the United Nations, with accusations that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government was curtailing press freedoms. Al Jazeera’s office in Ramallah had since become a crucial hub for the network’s coverage in the region.
CNN, which was on the scene after the raid, reported significant damage to the building known as ‘City Center,’ where Al Jazeera’s office was located, along with several other businesses. The entrance of the building had been forcefully breached using explosives, as recounted by Abu Amer, a security guard who was present during the raid. He described his fear when soldiers blew open the main door and used bombs to gain entry. Amer said he tried to escape to safety as the explosions shook the building.
The damage was visible both inside and outside the building. Steps leading to the entrance were shattered, and some tiles were missing. The main entrance to Al Jazeera’s workspace had been sealed off with iron doors installed by the military. CCTV cameras had also been removed, and the office was left in a state of disarray.
During the raid, Al Jazeera staff were forced to leave the premises. In the footage captured by the network, Omary and his colleagues could be seen outside on the street, explaining the situation. Shortly after, Israeli soldiers approached the group, confiscating the camera and broadcast equipment they were using to cover the incident. The live feed was cut abruptly as the soldiers seized control of the recording devices.
The raid represents a significant escalation in the tensions between Israeli authorities and the press, particularly with Al Jazeera. The network has been an essential source of news and coverage in the region for decades, especially in covering the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The closure of the Ramallah office severely impacts Al Jazeera’s ability to report on events from the West Bank.
This crackdown on press freedoms has sparked widespread outrage. Various human rights organizations and international bodies, including the United Nations, have condemned Israel’s actions. They argue that these aggressive measures against journalists are a violation of fundamental rights and freedoms, aimed at silencing critical reporting on Israel’s military activities and policies in the occupied territories.
Israel, on the other hand, has often accused Al Jazeera of biased reporting and incitement. The network’s coverage of Palestinian resistance, Israeli military operations, and civilian casualties has long been a point of contention between Israel and the Qatari-based media outlet. Despite these tensions, Al Jazeera continues to be one of the most prominent and influential news organizations covering the Middle East.
This latest raid is part of a broader crackdown by the Israeli government on media outlets and organizations seen as critical of its policies. Alongside Al Jazeera, other Palestinian and international media organizations have faced increasing scrutiny and restrictions. Journalists working in the West Bank and Gaza have reported increased difficulties in accessing certain areas, covering sensitive topics, and protecting their sources.
As the international community responds to this incident, it remains unclear whether Israel will face any substantial repercussions for its actions against Al Jazeera. For now, the network has vowed to continue its coverage of the region, despite the obstacles it faces. Al Jazeera has called on the global community to defend press freedom and hold Israel accountable for what it describes as an assault on journalistic independence.
In response to the closure of the Ramallah office, Al Jazeera’s management issued a statement condemning the raid and calling for the immediate reopening of the office. They stressed that journalism is not a crime and that the free press plays a crucial role in ensuring accountability in conflict zones. The statement also reaffirmed the network’s commitment to providing accurate and balanced coverage of events in Palestine and Israel, despite the challenges imposed by Israeli authorities.
This raid marks another chapter in the ongoing conflict between Israel and media organizations operating in the region, raising concerns about the future of press freedom in one of the world’s most volatile and heavily contested areas. The shutdown of Al Jazeera’s Ramallah office highlights the increasing difficulties journalists face in reporting on the realities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and it is likely to draw further scrutiny from both regional and international actors.