«Israel» Cracks Down on Media Freedom, Shuts Palestinian Organizations in Al-Quds

By Staff, Agencies

Once again, the apartheid "Israeli" entity tries to silence Palestinians. This time, the entity cracked down on the freedom of press in Palestine.

The “Israeli” entity’s authorities closed several Palestinian organizations in al-Quds [Jerusalem] Wednesday, including a television channel, an “Israeli” minister and officials from the organizations said.

The offices of Palestine TV and an office of the Palestinian ministry of education were given orders to close for six months, staff members said on condition of anonymity.

The director of the al-Araz production company that hosts Palestine TV was temporarily arrested, while a correspondent for the channel was summoned for questioning, these Palestinian sources said.

The “Israeli” entity’s so-called Public Security minister Gilad Erdan confirmed the closure of offices used by Palestine TV and the education ministry.

He accused Palestine TV of producing anti-“Israeli” content which is intended to incite viewers against the entity.

The Palestinians condemned the closures.

"This is a continuation of the ‘Israeli’ government's campaign against everything Palestinian in occupied Jerusalem [al-Quds]," senior official Hanan Ashrawi said.

MADA, a Palestinian organization that defends freedom of expression, said the closures were "part of ‘Israel's’ efforts to silence the media and prevent the Palestinian story from spreading, through a series of repressions against the media and journalists."

In a related platform, a Palestinian videographer has been blinded in one eye after being shot by an “Israeli” sniper while covering protests in the West Bank city of al-Khalil [Hebron].

A freelancer from al-Dheisheh refugee camp in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, Muath Amarneh, 32, was shot by a live bullet in his left eye while covering protests in Surif village near al-Khalil earlier this week.