An Israeli court has upheld a controversial ban on Al Jazeera, extending the closure of its offices in the occupied Palestinian territories for another 60 days on Monday. This marks the sixth consecutive extension since the Israeli government first imposed the ban in May.
The crackdown has effectively silenced Al Jazeera‘s broadcasts within Israel, with authorities raiding and shutting down its offices in occupied East Jerusalem under the pretext of the network being a propaganda tool for Hamas.
Under Israel’s so-called “Al Jazeera Law”, the government has the power to ban foreign media outlets it deems a threat to national security for 45-day periods at a time. The law has also been used to temporarily seize equipment from The Associated Press, raising serious concerns over press freedom and media censorship.
Israeli forces have repeatedly targeted Al Jazeera’s operations. In September, security forces raided the network’s offices in Ramallah, ordering its closure for 45 days.
In a further escalation, the Palestinian Authority (PA) also moved against Al Jazeera in December, banning the network from reporting in the occupied West Bank following the Israeli raid, accusing it of broadcasting “inciting content”.
Al Jazeera has firmly rejected the claims by both the Israeli government and PA, saying in a press statement in January that the PA decision is “nothing but an attempt to dissuade the channel from covering the rapidly escalating events taking place in the occupied territories”.
The ban has drawn sharp international criticism, with press freedom advocates warning that Israel’s suppression of independent media was part of a broader effort to control narratives and restrict coverage of its military actions in Gaza and the West Bank.
The crackdown on Al Jazeera comes amid growing accusations against Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, with human rights organisations, legal experts, and international bodies raising concerns over the scale of destruction, mass displacement, and civilian casualties.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is currently reviewing a case filed by South Africa, alleging that Israel’s actions in Gaza amount to genocide under international law.
