Palestinian Authority suspends Al Jazeera operations in the West Bank
Al JazeeraJan 01
Palestinian Authority Suspends Al Jazeera Operations in West Bank
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Above: Aljazeera newsroom in the capital city of Qatar, Doha, June 21, 2017. Image copyright: Jan Kuhlmann/dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images
The Facts
The Palestinian Authority (PA) on Wednesday temporarily suspended Al Jazeera's operations in the West Bank, accusing the network of broadcasting "inciting material" and "misleading reports" that risk stirring "strife."
A ministerial committee — comprising the ministries of culture, interior, and communications — issued the suspension order, which affects "all journalists, employees, crews and affiliated channels until their legal status is rectified."
The decision followed Fatah's criticism and subsequent ban of Al Jazeera coverage in Jenin, specifically relating to clashes between Palestinian security forces and armed groups.
The Spin
Narrative A
The Palestinian Authority's actions are necessary to maintain internal stability. Media outlets must be prevented from broadcasting misleading content that interferes with Palestinian internal affairs and threatens social cohesion through biased reporting of security operations.
Narrative B
The suspension reflects a clear violation of press freedom and an attempt to silence critical coverage of PA security operations, particularly in Jenin, where journalists have been documenting civilian casualties and controversial security measures.
