Israeli soldiers raid and shut down Al Jazeera bureau in occupied West Bank

Israeli troops raided the offices of the news network Al Jazeera in the Israeli-occupied West Bank early on Sunday 22 September, ordering the bureau to shut down amid a widening campaign targeting the Qatar-funded broadcaster as it covers the war in the Gaza Strip.

Al Jazeera aired footage of Israeli troops live on its Arabic-language channel ordering the office to be shut for 45 days.

It follows an extraordinary order issued in July that saw Israeli police raid Al Jazeera’s broadcast position in East Jerusalem, seizing equipment there, preventing its broadcasts in Israel and blocking its websites.

The move marked the first time Israel has ever shuttered a foreign news outlet operating in the country.