The Palestinian Authorities (PA) decided Wednesday to temporarily suspend the broadcasting activity of the Qatar-based media network Al Jazeera and close its office in the occupied West Bank for reporting content that promotes division and instability, according to a statement published by Palestine’s official news agency, the Palestine News and Information Agency (WAFA).

The decision was made by a ministerial committee comprising the ministers of culture, interior and telecommunications, which found that the network’s broadcasting violated PA laws and regulations. The committee accused Al Jazeera of broadcasting “inciting material,” spreading misinformation, and interfering in national affairs.

The suspension affects the work of journalists, staff, and all channels affiliated with Al Jazeera and will remain in effect until the network resolves its legal status in accordance with Palestinian regulations.

In response, Al Jazeera issued a statement on Thursday condemning the suspension and described the PA’s decision as an attempt to deter the network from covering events in the country. The network further stated that the suspension was part of an intimidation campaign aimed at preventing its journalists from reporting on events in the occupied territories, particularly those occurring in the city of Jenin and its camps. At the end of its statement, Al Jazeera called on authorities to cancel their decision and allow its journalists and correspondents to report freely and without intimidation.

Founded in 1996, Al Jazeera is an Arabic-language news network that receives public funding from the Qatari government. Al Jazeera’s offices were previously closed by the governments of several Arab countries, including Bahrain, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia amid the Qatar diplomatic crisis in 2017 for allegedly inciting instability in the region. Additionally, the Israeli government shut down Al Jazeera’s offices in May, a decision that was extended for another 45 days in June 2024.

The tension between the PA and the Al Jazeera network is related to the channel’s recent covergae of the clashes between Palestinian security forces and militant fighters in the occupied city of Jenin. The PA criticized the network for its extensive reporting on these clashes and accused it of fostering division not only within Palestine but throughout the entire Arab region.