Al Jazeera broadcasts footage of Israeli military raiding Ramallah office

Al Jazeera has broadcast live footage of Israeli soldiers raiding its offices in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, and ordering its closure for 45 days.

The footage showed the network’s bureau chief Walid Omary and staff members live on air as Israeli soldiers entered.

Video broadcast by Al Jazeera showed one soldier informing Omary of a military order to close Al Jazeera’s office for 45 days. The soldier then told Omary that staff members need to leave the office immediately.

Reading the military order given to him on air, Omary said staff members need to take their personal belongings and cameras and leave.

Al Jazeera’s office in Ramallah has been operational for decades. It became even more essential for the network after Israel shut down its Jerusalem office and seized some of its communication equipment in May, prompting condemnation from the United Nations and rights groups over what they said were Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s moves to restrict press freedoms.

After Al Jazeera staff had left the Ramallah office, live footage showed Omary and others in the street outside, as the journalist said soldiers had taken over the office and were confiscating materials.

Shortly after, as Israeli soldiers approached Omary, the live video feed was cut, and Omary was heard saying that soldiers had taken the camera and broadcast equipment the team were using.

CNN has contacted Al Jazeera and Israel’s military for comment.

Under the Oslo Peace Accords, the Palestinian Authority has responsibility for security in “Area A” of the occupied West Bank, which includes Ramallah.

This post has been updated.

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