Al Jazeera Broadcasts Suspended by Palestinian Authority Over ‘Inciting Material’
The Palestinian Authority has temporarily suspended the operations of Qatar-based Al Jazeera television across its territories, citing the dissemination of “inciting material,” the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported on Wednesday.
The joint decision by the culture, interior, and communications ministries accused the network of broadcasting content that was “deceiving and stirring strife.” WAFA did not provide details on the specific material that prompted the suspension, nor did the PA specify an end date for the temporary halt.
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Al Jazeera criticized the decision as an attempt to stifle its coverage of escalating tensions in the West Bank. “This decision aims to discourage us from reporting spiraling events in the occupied territories,” the network said in a statement, calling on the PA to reverse its decision and ensure press freedom.
The suspension follows mounting tensions between Al Jazeera and the PA over the network’s coverage of the weeks-long standoff between Palestinian security forces and terrorists in the Jenin refugee camp.
While the order applies to areas under PA control, it is not expected to affect the broadcaster’s operations in Hamas-run Gaza, where the PA lacks authority.
The PA-affiliated Fatah faction accused Al Jazeera of sowing division in the Arab world and urged Palestinians to refrain from cooperating with the network.
