Authorities Conduct Raid on Al Jazeera’s Nazareth Office

By Yoni Weiss

Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi announced Thursday that police and Ministry of Communications inspectors raided Al Jazeera’s office in Nazareth.

Karhi wrote, “Today, I ordered a raid on the Al Jazeera studios in Nazareth. The Ministry of Communications inspectors together with the Northern District Police Tactical Division are confiscating equipment there now. We will not allow the Hamas loudspeaker to broadcast from Israel.”

The government unanimously authorized the revocation of the network’s press credentials and the confiscation of transmitters on Sunday. This shutdown is not permanent but is subject to renewal every 45 days.

The push to ban Al Jazeera gained traction in February after reporter Mohamed Washah was revealed to be a Hamas commander. Soldiers recovered his laptop in northern Gaza, uncovering his significant involvement in the terror group’s anti-armor missile systems.

In October, Al Jazeera was accused of endangering Israeli soldiers by divulging details of their assembly locations, leading the Cabinet to approve emergency regulations to temporarily shut down Al Jazeera operations in Israel. Although this move garnered widespread support from the security and diplomatic sectors, it was never executed as Qatar emerged as a mediator between Israel and Hamas for a potential hostage exchange.