Al Jazeera condemns Palestinian Authority’s suspension of network in West Bank

Al Jazeera Media Network has strongly criticized the Palestinian Authority’s recent decision to suspend its operations in the occupied West Bank, describing it as an action aligned with Israeli measures against the network’s staff.

In a statement released on Thursday, Al Jazeera called the decision “an attempt to conceal the truth about events in the occupied territories, particularly in Jenin and its refugee camp.”

Al Jazeera Media Network denounces the Palestinian Authority’s decision to freeze its work and coverage in the West Bank and considers this decision nothing but an attempt to dissuade the channel from covering the rapidly escalating events taking place in the occupied territories.

This decision comes following the ongoing campaign of incitement and intimidation by parties associated with the Palestinian Authority against Al Jazeera’s journalists and correspondents. The decision to freeze Al Jazeera’s work and prevent its journalists from conducting their duties is an attempt to hide the truth about events in the occupied territories, especially what is happening in Jenin and its camps. And – unfortunately – such decision comes align with the previous action taken by the Israeli government, which closed Al Jazeera’s office in Ramallah.

Al Jazeera is shocked by this decision, which comes at a time when the war on the Gaza Strip is still on going, and the systematic targeting and killing of Palestinian journalists by the Israeli occupation forces.

Al Jazeera Media Network holds the Palestinian Authority fully responsible for the safety and security of all its employees in the West Bank. Al Jazeera also calls on the Palestinian Authority to immediately retract and cancel the decision taken by the relevant ministries and to allow it and its teams to cover freely from the West Bank without any threats or intimidation.

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.

Al Jazeera’s statement

Tensions in Jenin Camp

The suspension follows a monthlong security operation by Palestinian security forces targeting what they described as “outlaws” in the Jenin refugee camp.

The operation has drawn criticism from Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, who accuse the Palestinian Authority of targeting resistance fighters in the camp.

Al Jazeera claims the suspension is part of an “ongoing campaign of incitement and intimidation by parties associated with the Palestinian Authority” against its journalists.

The network also held the Palestinian Authority “fully responsible for the safety and security of all its employees in the West Bank” and demanded an immediate reversal of the suspension.

Palestinian Authority’s justification

A ministerial committee from the Palestinian Authority emphasized on Tuesday that the suspension would remain in place until Al Jazeera “fully complies with Palestinian laws and regulations.”

This decision follows growing public criticism from Palestinian Authority officials and affiliated social media campaigns targeting Al Jazeera’s coverage of clashes between Palestinian security forces and armed groups in Jenin.

Broader context of restrictions on Al Jazeera

This is not the first time Al Jazeera has faced restrictions in the region.

In May, the Israeli government approved a proposal by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi to shut down Al Jazeera’s offices across Israel under the so-called “Al Jazeera Law.”