The Foreign Press Association says it’s “deeply troubled” by reports Israeli forces have shut down Al Jazeera’s base in the West Bank.
The organisation says the raid by Israel on the broadcaster’s bureau in Ramallah threatens press freedom.
The news channel says it’s been ordered to keep the bureau closed in what it has described as a ‘push to curtail its news coverage’.
Israeli military’s closure order accused the network of “incitement to and support of terrorism”.
Al Jazeera’s Nida Ibrahim said the West Bank raid and the closure order come “as no surprise” after an earlier ban on reporting from inside Israel.
In May, the Israeli cabinet gave approval for a new law giving government the power to halt any international relay over local cable, satellite and IPTV networks, bar access to its website, close local offices and confiscate any equipment.
Al Jazeera is one of few broadcasters still operating in Gaza.
