Israel raids Al Jazeera office in Jerusalem, confiscates equipment
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AFP photo.
Tel Aviv: Israel police raided the office of Al Jazeera TV station, which was operating in a hotel room in East Jerusalem. Officers confiscated broadcast equipoment from the officer, Reuters reported.
The raid was conducted after the Israel administration's decision to shut down the Qatar-owned news networks' local operations.
A video was posted on X, showing officers in plain clothes taking down camera equipment.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday the decision to shut down Al Jazeera offices in Jerusalem, citing threats to national security. He said that after discussion by the Security Cabinet and pursuant to his directive on Sunday, the administration discussed closing Al Jazeera broadcasts in Israel. Netanyahu's cabinet unanimously voted for the shutting down of the news network. The orders were signed by Israeli communication minister Shlomo Karhi.
Karhi said in a statement that Israel will take immediate action against those who use freedom of the press to harm the security of their country, IDF soldiers and incite terrorism in the time of war. In Israel, there will be no freedom of expression for Israeli mouthpieces, and therefore, Al Jazeera will be shut down immediately, and its equipment will be confiscated immediately, the minister said.
The statement continued that the administration would cut off the channels from cable and satellite companies and block their websites. However, the minister did not mention Al Jazeera Gaza operations.
However, Al Jazeera called the move a "criminal act that violates human rights and the basic right to access of information", Reuters quoted. According to the Qatari news house, Israel's accusations that the network threatened its national security were "dangerous and ridiculous lies" that put journalists at risk.