Israeli police raid Al Jazeera office in Jerusalem

Israeli police raided a Jerusalem hotel room used by Al Jazeera as its office on Sunday following a government decision to shut down local operations of the Qatari-owned TV station, an Israeli official and a source from Al Jazeera.

A video circulating online showed plainclothes officers dismantling camera equipment in a hotel room. Al Jazeera's source said the hotel was in East Jerusalem.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office has closed the network while the war in Gaza continues, saying Qatar's television network threatens national security.

Al Jazeera called the move a “criminal action” and rejected the accusation that the network threatened Israeli security as a “dangerous and ridiculous lie” that puts its journalists at risk.

“Israel’s continued suppression of the free press, seen as an effort to hide its actions in the Gaza Strip, constitutes a violation of international and humanitarian law,” the outlet argued in a statement.

The outlet stated that it reserved the right to “pursue all legal measures”.

The head of the vehicle in Israel and the Palestinian territories, Walid Omary, claimed that the Israeli government's decision is “dangerous” and motivated more by political than professional reasons.

According to Omary, Al Jazeera's legal team is preparing a response, in a possible legal appeal against the decision.

The network has been critical of Israel's military operation in Gaza, from where it has reported 24 hours a day during the war.

“The incitement channel Al Jazeera will be closed in Israel,” Netanyahu posted on social media after the cabinet’s unanimous vote to suspend it.

A government statement said Israel's Communications Minister had signed orders to “act immediately,” but at least one lawmaker who supported the closure said Al Jazeera could still try to block it in court.

The measure, according to the statement, will include the closure of Al Jazeera's offices in Israel, the confiscation of broadcasting equipment, the cable and satellite companies' channel disconnection and the blocking of their websites. The government did not mention action on Al Jazeera's activity in Gaza.

The Qatari government, which finances the press outlet, has not officially commented.

Al Jazeera previously called Israeli efforts to restrict its operations an “escalation” and said in a statement in early April that it “is part of a series of systematic Israeli attacks to silence Al Jazeera.”

The network said Israeli authorities deliberately targeted and killed several of its journalists, including Samer Abu Daqqa and Wael Al Dahdouh, both of whom were killed in Gaza during the conflict. Israel has said it does not target journalists.

Qatar created Al Jazeera in 1996 and sees the network as a way to boost its global profile.

“Al Jazeera Media Network strongly condemns and denounces this criminal act that violates human rights and the basic right to access to information,” the network said in a statement. “Al Jazeera asserts its right to continue providing news and information to its global audience.”

The United Nations Human Rights Office also criticized the closure.

“We regret the cabinet’s decision to close Al Jazeera in Israel,” the organization published on the X social network.

“A free and independent media is essential to ensure transparency and accountability. a fundamental human right. We urge the government to lift the ban.”

Israel's parliament last month ratified a law that allows the temporary closure in Israel of foreign broadcasters considered a threat to national security.

The law allows Netanyahu and his security cabinet to close the network's offices in Israel for 45 days, a period that can be renewed, so that it can remain in force until the end of July or until the end of major military operations in Gaza.

Qatar, where several Hamas political leaders are based, is seeking to broker a ceasefire and hostage release agreement that could end the war in Gaza.

Check out Al Jazeera's full statement

“In a deceptive and slanderous move, the Israeli cabinet, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, voted unanimously to close Al Jazeera's offices in Israel.

They also chose to strip our employees of their credentials, as well as ban media service providers from broadcasting and block websites from the Al Jazeera media network.

Ironically, while the world was celebrating World Press Freedom Day; the Israeli government closed Al Jazeera's offices, preventing public access to its content, disrespecting the universally recognized foundations of freedom of expression.

Al Jazeera Media Network strongly condemns and denounces this criminal act that violates human rights and the basic right to access to information. Al Jazeera asserts its right to continue providing news and information to its global audience.

Israel's continued suppression of the free press, seen as an effort to conceal its actions in the Gaza Strip, constitutes a violation of international and humanitarian law.

Israel's direct attacks and murder of journalists, arrests, intimidation and threats will not stop Al Jazeera from committing to reporting, while more than 140 Palestinian journalists have been killed since the start of the war in Gaza .

The network strongly rejects the allegations made by Israeli authorities, suggesting that the professional standards of the media were violated. It reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the values ​​enshrined in its Code of Ethics.

Al Jazeera urges all press freedom, human rights and other interested organizations to condemn Israel's repeated attacks on journalists and the press and to hold those responsible accountable.

The network will pursue all available legal channels through international legal institutions in its attempt to protect both its rights and those of journalists, as well as the public's right to information.

‘Targeting journalists is a crime.””