Earlier this week, Israeli soldiers infiltrated an Al Jazeera-occupied West Bank Bureau based in Ramallah and delivered a notice to shut operations down. Despite the territory being under Palestinian control according to the Oslo Accords, soldiers forced the overnight workers to leave the bureau and told Bureau Chief Walid Al-Omari that the bureau would be closed for at least 45 days. This comes after the Israeli parliament passed what is most commonly referred to as the “Al Jazeera Law,” which allows the government to shut down any foreign media that “poses a threat to the state” for 45 days at a time. While some may see this as justifiable, I cannot overlook the blatant disregard and mockery for the democratic principles that Israel claims to uphold — specifically the guarantee of freedom of speech and press.

In the last year, the Israeli government has repeatedly acted against the foundational principles of democracy by imposing restrictions on peaceful protests, enacting discriminatory laws that create hierarchical citizenship based on ethnicity and religion, and displacing Palestinians through settlement expansions. As a journalist, the closure of the Al Jazeera bureau alarms me because it signifies a system that no longer guarantees that publications can critique the government without fear of shutdowns, directly disrupting democratic principles. In America, we protect these rights against government interference through legal safeguards such as anti-censorship laws or organizations like the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. But the forced closure of the bureau  demonstrates the Israeli government’s power over the press and its failure to provide a variety of perspectives, a core tenet of freedom of speech and press.

As mentioned before, the reasoning behind the shutdown of the Al Jazeera bureau in Israel is that the publication “poses a threat to the state.” The Times of Israel stated the law gives the government “the authority to order the closure of foreign networks operating in Israel and confiscate their equipment if they have grounds to believe they are ‘doing real harm to state security.’” These phrases are intentionally vague, allowing the Israeli government to interpret them as they see fit. As demonstrated with Al Jazeera, this vagueness enables the government to manipulate and suppress publications and their ability to publish content. 

Al Jazeera has consistently published recordings and details of the genocide occuring in Gaza, the assault on the West Bank, and now the attacks in Lebanon. They have published articles that provide a full understanding of what is happening in Gaza. The publication not only has been at the forefront of reporting information but has also combatted misinformation put out by the Israeli government. For example, since Oct. 7, the Israeli government has claimed that Hamas has used civilians as human shields to justify the bombing of schools, hospitals, and other residential areas. Al Jazeera has documented significant civilian casualties and, in alignment with various human rights organizations, including the United Nations and Amnesty International, launched investigations revealing that the narrative of human shields is often used to deflect international criticism. Investigations into the motives behind the Israeli military’s actions have made Al Jazeera a target, evident in the recent raids and shutdown of their offices. This targeting ultimately serves as a tactic to enable destructive military actions by Israel while avoiding accountability.

It also makes it harder for us, concerned activists, and international powers to hold Israel accountable. While the role of Western powers in the genocide is a separate discussion, many organizations base their criticism of the violence in Palestine on information from media outlets like Al Jazeera. There are daily and even hourly updates published on multiple platforms by Al Jazeera, updates which remind us to continue addressing the injustices happening in Gaza and the Middle East. While one bureau being raided doesn’t seem cause for alarm, this affects all other media outlets publishing and working in Palestine and Israel, as it creates a sense of fear for journalists reporting on these issues. 

This suppression of truth also goes far beyond Al Jazeera. This week, the Lebanese journalist and Editor-in-Chief of Maraya International, Fadi Boudia, was injured by an Israeli air strike while reporting live. This is one example of the impact of the  Israeli government’s actions on journalists reporting on the genocide in Gaza and other atrocities committed by the state. The disruption of journalistic work also went far beyond just the last year. In May 2022, the esteemed journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was murdered by the Israel Defense Forces while she was covering the Israeli army raids in the West Bank. This was followed by the police brutally beating those attending her funeral. It wasn’t until a year later that the Israeli military released an apology, coincidentally just days after The Committee to Protect Journalists released a report that showed that, at the time, Israel had shown no accountability over the killing of journalists in the past two decades. This apology is now irrelevant: during the recent raid of the Al Jazeera bureau, soldiers were seen tearing down a photo of Abu Akleh that was hung up in memorial. In 2021, the Israeli military bombed an entire building in Gaza that held Al Jazeera offices and other associated press. Israel justified the bombing by claiming Hamas was using the building and that Israel was just protecting its citizens. 

Israel is threatening democracy by curbing free press through the intimidation and destruction of news outlets. Every journalist and publication has the right to publish any opinions or news without fear of retaliation. If we accept that CNN, Fox News, The New York Times, and even The Oberlin Review can express diverse viewpoints — based in fact — what absolves Israel from not doing the same? What right does Israel have to shut down publications that many depend on for reliable information? Only allowing select news outlets to exist undermines a democratic process crucial to fostering a country where people are free to share any perspective.

Israel’s practices undermine and erode the very democratic principles it claims to be based off of, and our own government allows it to happen. Every day not spent advocating for Palestinians’ rights and spreading information is allowing Israel to weave misinformation into our own news channels and draw attention away from the very dangerous humanitarian crisis and genocide happening in Palestine. Al Jazeera is one of many publications we should be consistently following and drawing attention to when it comes to fighting for a free Palestine, and I urge readers to continue reposting, sharing, commenting on, and spreading news about what is happening in Palestine and what we can do to help.