The Palestinian Authority Shut Down Al Jazeera In The West Bank As It Conducts Its Own Security Operation
The Palestinian Authorities announced its to shut down Al Jazeera after tensions grew between Fatah, the dominant political group within the PA, and Al Jazeera over the network’s coverage of the PA's security operation in Jenin.
The Palestinian Authority (PA) has temporarily suspended Al Jazeera's operations in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, accusing the Qatari network of "inciting sedition" and "interfering in internal Palestinian affairs."
On Dec. 5, 2024, the Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, launched a “security campaign” to crack down on what it called “outlaws” in the Jenin area, particularly in the Jenin refugee camp.
The PA has besieged the camp, restricting movement and severely cutting electricity and water for nearly a month and killing at least six Palestinians during the campaign, according to the New Arab.
Experts say the move is an attempt to restore the PA’s limited authority in the occupied West Bank and persuade the US that it can be a useful security partner, Al Jazeera reported.
However, the crackdown has been condemned by many Palestinians, human rights activists and other Palestinian political factions such as Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, as the PA is fighting many armed groups that are resisting the Israeli army.
The operation, named "Protecting the Homeland", has also led to backlash after 21-year-old Palestinian journalist Shatha Sabbagh who was reporting in Jenin, was killed by PA forces on Saturday, Dec. 28, according to her family.
The PA announced its decision to shut down Al Jazeera on Wednesday, Jan. 1, after tensions grew between Fatah, the dominant political group within the PA, and Al Jazeera over the network’s coverage of clashes in Jenin, according to France24.
Fatah has accused Al Jazeera of creating divisions among Palestinians and urged Palestinians to not cooperate with the network.
In response, Al Jazeera criticized Fatah, saying Fatah had launched an "incitement campaign" against the network and its reporters.
On Jan. 1, the PA decided to temporarily suspend the network’s “broadcasts and freeze all activities of Al Jazeera satellite channel and its office in Palestine," the official PA news agency, Wafa said.
Th includes stopping Al Jazeera's journalists and other staff’s work.
The PA said it will continue until the network’s "legal status is rectified" due to its alleged violations of Palestinian laws and regulations.
"This decision comes in response to Al Jazeera's insistence on broadcasting inciting content and reports characterised by misinformation, incitement, sedition and interference in Palestinian internal affairs," Wafa added.
Later that day, Al Jazeera released footage showing three Palestinian officers entering its office in Ramallah, handing the suspension orders to journalist Najwan Simri.
The Qatari network condemned the ban, comparing it to a similar action by Israel in September 2024, when Israeli forces raided Al Jazeera’s bureau in Ramallah and ordered it to shut down for 45 days for “inciting and supporting terrorism”.
“Al Jazeera stresses that this decision will not deter it from its commitment to continue its professional coverage of events and developments in the West Bank,” it added in its statement.
Hamas, a rival faction to Fatah, also criticized the PA's decision to ban Al Jazeera.
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