The Palestinian authorities have suspended the operations of the Al Jazeera television network in the territories under their control, accusing the Qatar-based media outlet of disseminating "provocative content" and interfering in Palestine's internal affairs.
Report informs, citing the Palestinian News and Information Agency (WAFA), that the decision was made by a ministerial committee comprising representatives from the ministries of culture, interior, and telecommunications. The suspension will remain in effect until Al Jazeera resolves its legal status, which is deemed to be in violation of the laws and regulations in force in Palestine.
The authorities have accused Al Jazeera of repeated violations of local laws, spreading disinformation, and creating discord and instability in the region. The ban is expected to apply to all journalists, employees, and associated channels of the network.
However, the prohibition is unlikely to be enforced in the Gaza Strip, which is not under the control of the official Ramallah government. This development comes amid ongoing tensions between Palestine and Israel, with the latter having previously banned Al Jazeera's activities in the Jewish state and raided its office in Ramallah last September.
Al Jazeera has called on the Palestinian authorities to reverse their decision, describing it as a restriction on the coverage of events in the occupied territories and urging them to allow journalists to continue their work.