Israel orders the closure of Al Jazeera’s offices on its territory
Israel’s government approved the closure of the Qatari network Al Jazeera’s operations in the country on 5 May 2024, applying a law passed by the Knesset in early April that allows the temporary suspension of foreign media deemed a risk to national security.
The decision included shutting down its offices, seizing broadcast equipment, and blocking its signal and website within Israeli territory. Al Jazeera called the move a “criminal act,” and the Foreign Press Association in Israel described it as a worrying step for press freedom.
The move added to restrictions on access to Gaza, where international journalists could only enter accompanied by the Israeli military, severely limiting independent coverage of the conflict.