Israeli police storm Al Jazeera offices after shutdown order

Israeli police stormed the Al Jazeera offices on Sunday after Benjamin Netanyahu’s government ordered the broadcaster to close down following months of critical coverage of the war.

The Israeli government voted unanimously in favour of the decision before the communication minister called shortly after for the seizure of the Qatar-owned news channel’s broadcasting equipment.

“The government headed by me unanimously decided: the incitement channel Al Jazeera will be closed in Israel,” Mr Netanyahu posted on his X account.

Al Jazeera disappeared from Israel’s main cable provider in the hours after the order, with a message on the blacked-out channel saying its “broadcasts have been stopped in Israel.”

Shlomo Karhi, the communications minister, quickly ordered Israel to seize cameras, microphones and other broadcast equipment.

The extraordinary order is believed to be the first time Israel has ever shuttered a foreign news outlet.

It comes as ties between them have worsened since Israel waged war with Hamas.

Al Jazeera has broadcast damning reports of Israel’s military operation in Gaza, and previously accused Israel of systematically targeting its offices and killing its journalists.

The media organisation is also one of the few international outlets to have remained in Gaza throughout the war, broadcasting bloody scenes of airstrikes and overcrowded hospitals.

Its Arabic arm has also published verbatim video statements from Hamas and other militant groups in the region, drawing Netanyahu’s ire, according to the Associated Press.

Israeli officials have accused the network of anti-Israeli bias – charges which the network denies.

Last month, Mr Netanyahu vowed to “act immediately to stop” Al Jazeera’s operations in Israel.

Imran Khan, an Al Jazeera reporter, said that the website has also been banned and that any device used for news gathering – such as a journalist’s mobile phone – can be confiscated.

“They banned our website… The website is now inaccessible. They are also banning any device used for providing content, that includes my mobile phone – if I use that to do any kind of news gathering, the Israelis can simply confiscate it,” said Mr Khan, during a broadcast.

The cabinet vote on Sunday came after Israel’s parliament passed a law allowing the temporary closure in Israel of foreign broadcasters considered to be a threat to national security during the war in Gaza.

Israeli media said the order allows Israel to block the channel from operating in the country for 45 days.

The decision also threatens to heighten tensions with Qatar at a time when the Doha government is playing a key role in mediation efforts to halt the war in Gaza.

Walid Omary, the head of Al Jazeera in Israel and the Palestinian territories described the government’s decision on Sunday as “dangerous” and politically motivated.

The network also put out a statement calling Israel’s decision “criminal” and vowed to “pursue all legal channels” in response.

Hamas said the decision to shut down Al Jazeera in the country was a “blatant violation of press freedom” and an effort to hide the “truth” of the Gaza war.

The United Nations Human Rights office said: “A free [and] independent media is essential to ensuring transparency [and] accountability. Now, even more so given tight restrictions on reporting from Gaza.”