Al Jazeera broadcasts banned in Judea & Samaria

Palestinian Authority ratchets up sanctions against Qatar-based network, shutting down broadcasts across all of Judea and Samaria after accusing Al Jazeera of backing rogue terror groups.

By World Israel News Staff

The Palestinian Authority has shutdown broadcasts of the Qatar-based Al Jazeera network across the entirety of autonomous PA areas in Judea and Samaria, the Palestinian Authority announced Wednesday night.

According to a report by WAFA, a Palestinian Authority mouthpiece, the decision was made by a joint ministerial committee which brought together representatives of the Culture Ministry, the Interior Ministry, and the Telecommunications Ministry.

The move prohibits Al Jazeera television broadcasts across Judea and Samaria, and also bars Al Jazeera journalists and other staff from working on the network’s behalf in areas under the PA’s jurisdiction.

Ramallah accused the Qatari network of “repeated violations” of PA regulations with the broadcasting of “inciteful content” and “misinformation.”

The Palestinian Authority emphasized that the ban is temporary, and that it will remain in effect “until the network addresses its legal status in accordance with Palestinian regulations.”

Last month, the PA barred Al Jazeera from reporting in parts of Samaria, including Shechem (Nablus), Jenin, Tubas, Tulkarem, Qalqilya, and Salfit.

The PA’s ruling Fatah party has decried Al Jazeera‘s coverage of ongoing civil unrest across Judea and Samaria, as well as internecine violence in the northern Samaria city of Jenin, where officers from the paramilitary  Palestinian National Security Forces have clashed with a rogue terror group for nearly a month.

On December 5th, PNSF forces entered Jenin to challenge the Jenin Brigades, an alliance of terrorist groups, including Hamas, which has effectively ruled the city since 2022.

Since then, the PNSF has attempted to reassert PA control over the city, leading to multiple clashes with the Jenin Brigades.

During the PNSF’s Jenin operation, the Palestinian Authority has accused Al Jazeera of promoting the Jenin Brigades’ cause with biased reporting.