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Israeli military raid shuts down Al Jazeera bureau in Ramallah, occupied West Bank

On 22 September 2024, Israeli soldiers raided Al Jazeera’s office in Ramallah, ordering its closure for 45 days. The raid occurred in Area A, a zone under Palestinian control as per the Oslo Accords, but where Israel continues to exert military influence. The closure order cites accusations of incitement and support for terrorism.

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In a pre-dawn raid on 22 September 2024, heavily armed Israeli soldiers entered the Al Jazeera bureau in Ramallah, ordering its immediate closure for 45 days.

The soldiers handed a shutdown notice to bureau chief Walid al-Omari, citing accusations of “incitement” and “support for terrorism.” The bureau, located in Area A of the occupied West Bank—supposedly under the control of the Palestinian Authority (PA) under the Oslo Accords—was nonetheless subject to Israeli military authority.

This raid marks the latest in a series of actions by Israeli forces against the Qatari-based Al Jazeera network, a major international media outlet with significant global reach, known for its extensive reporting on Middle Eastern affairs.

The outlet has frequently drawn the ire of Israeli officials for its reporting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with its journalists often facing violence or harassment. In a notable case in 2022, prominent Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was killed by Israeli forces while covering a raid in the West Bank city of Jenin.

In the Ramallah raid, soldiers were observed tearing down a large banner of Abu Akleh inside the bureau, which had been placed in her memory.

Despite Ramallah being under the PA’s jurisdiction, Israel has routinely conducted military operations in this Oslo-defined Area A. A 2023 report by the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process highlighted several Israeli operations in Area A between June and September of that year, which resulted in significant Palestinian casualties.

Such operations underscore the ongoing Israeli military presence and impunity across the West Bank, regardless of the legal distinction between Areas A, B, and C.

During the raid, Israeli soldiers ordered the staff, who were working the overnight shift, to evacuate immediately.

While initially permitted to take their personal belongings, staff were eventually required to leave behind key equipment, including cameras. Al Jazeera’s Jivara Budeiri, who was present during the raid, noted that engineers accompanied the soldiers, raising fears that the raid might have been intended to damage or confiscate the bureau’s archives. The team spent several hours standing outside the building, unable to retrieve their vehicles or continue reporting.

Armed Israeli soldiers patrolled the area in military vehicles while gunfire and tear gas were heard nearby.

The closure order, which is in effect for 45 days, raises concerns that the shutdown could be prolonged. Al Jazeera’s bureau chief, al-Omari, speculated that the closure may be automatically renewed, much like the closure of the network’s bureau in Israel earlier in 2024.

That bureau was shut down under what became known as the “Al Jazeera Law,” passed by the Israeli Knesset, which allows the government to temporarily close foreign media outlets deemed to pose a security threat.

The Ramallah shutdown, however, comes from the Israeli military authority, which technically has no legal power over Area A under international agreements.

According to al-Omari, any attempt to appeal the closure will likely need to go through Israel’s opaque military courts system, which often operates on the basis of “secret evidence” and allows for indefinite detentions without formal charges. Given this, there is skepticism that the bureau will be able to resume operations after the 45-day period.

This raid also coincides with escalating regional tensions, particularly involving Hezbollah in Lebanon. Recent explosions in southern Lebanon, suspected to be part of an Israeli sabotage campaign, have resulted in the deaths of at least 37 people, including two children.

The possibility of an expanded conflict looms, as Israel remains on high alert amid concerns of Hezbollah’s involvement in the broader Israel-Palestine conflict.

The closure of Al Jazeera’s Ramallah bureau further heightens concerns over press freedom in the region. Al Jazeera has long been a critical source of information on Israel’s military operations and human rights abuses in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Rami Khouri, a distinguished fellow at the American University in Beirut, remarked to Al Jazeera that this raid is part of Israel’s broader effort since 1948 to prevent the dissemination of information about its policies toward Palestinians, including colonization, arrests, and torture.

Khouri emphasized that Al Jazeera plays a vital role in bringing global attention to these issues, making it a frequent target of Israeli authorities.

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International

Israeli soldiers push bodies from rooftops during West Bank raid

Israeli soldiers reportedly pushed three lifeless bodies off rooftops during a raid in the West Bank on 14 September 2023. The incident, captured on video, has sparked criticism from rights groups and calls for an investigation. Although the Israeli military says it is reviewing the matter, rights groups point out that Israel rarely, if ever, takes meaningful action against its soldiers in such cases.

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20 September 2024

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Israeli soldiers were seen pushing three apparently lifeless bodies off rooftops during a military operation in Qabatiya, a town in the northern West Bank, on Thursday (19 Sept), according to an Associated Press (AP) journalist and footage obtained by the news agency.

The incident occurred during a broader Israeli crackdown in the West Bank amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Rights groups allege the action is part of a pattern of excessive force used against Palestinians.

The AP journalist who witnessed the scene reported that soldiers pushed the bodies off adjacent multi-story buildings, while other troops stood below.

This was further corroborated by additional reporters at the site.

In one video, soldiers were seen dragging a stiff body to the edge of a roof and then dropping it. On a nearby rooftop, soldiers swung another body over the edge, while in a third instance, a body was kicked off a roof.

Photos captured by AP show an Israeli army bulldozer near the buildings.

Israel’s military confirmed the operation, stating that its troops had killed four militants during the raid in Qabatiya. The Israeli military acknowledged the seriousness of the incident, stating, “This is a serious incident that does not coincide with IDF values and the expectations from IDF soldiers. The incident is under review.”

The Palestinian Health Ministry, however, confirmed only one death and reported that 10 Palestinians had been hospitalized due to Israeli gunfire. The identities of the deceased and their causes of death remain unclear.

In response to the footage, Shawan Jabarin, the director of the Palestinian rights group Al-Haq, condemned the treatment of the bodies as “savage” and unnecessary, stating that it violated international law regarding the treatment of the deceased, including combatants.

He further expressed scepticism that Israel would conduct a thorough investigation into the matter. “The most that will happen is that soldiers will be disciplined, but there will be no real investigation and no real prosecution,” Jabarin said.

Violence in West Bank

The raid in Qabatiya is part of Israel’s ongoing military operations in the West Bank which is governed by the Palestinian Authority (PA), which have intensified since the outbreak of war with Hamas on 7 October 2023.

Israel has defended its actions as necessary to suppress growing militancy, citing attacks by Palestinian gunmen on checkpoints and inside Israel.

Over 700 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank since the war began, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

The northern West Bank has been a focal point of violence, with numerous deaths and arrests reported over the past months. Earlier in September, Israel carried out its deadliest raid into the region since the war’s outbreak, killing at least 33 Palestinians.

International Condemnation of Israeli Actions

The Israeli government’s recent approval of nearly 5,300 new homes in West Bank settlements in July further complicates the situation. The international community, including the United Nations and rights organizations, has consistently condemned Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank as violations of international law.

On Wednesday, the United Nations General Assembly passed a nonbinding resolution calling on Israel to end its occupation of Palestinian territories within a year. The resolution, backed by 124 votes to 12, urged Israel to withdraw its “unlawful presence” in the West Bank and pay reparations for damages caused by the occupation. It also supported a previous advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice, which declared the settlements illegal.

As violence in Gaza continues to dominate global attention, rights groups are increasingly raising concerns about Israel’s treatment of Palestinians in the West Bank, where the situation remains highly volatile.

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Crime

Two arrested in US$230 million cryptocurrency theft and laundering scheme

Two men, including a Singaporean citizen, were arrested Wednesday night and charged in U.S. District Courts in Florida and California with stealing and laundering over US$230 million in cryptocurrency. The FBI raided a luxury Miami home linked to one suspect, who allegedly defrauded a Washington, D.C. victim.

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20 September 2024

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Malone Lam (Broward Sheriff’s Office), Luxury home at 1201 NE 83rd St (Miami Herald)

UNITED STATES: On Thursday (19 Sept), Malone Lam, 20, of Miami, FL, and Jeandiel Serrano, 21, of Los Angeles, CA, were charged with conspiracy to steal and launder over US$230 million in cryptocurrency from a Washington, D.C. victim.

Both suspects were arrested on Wednesday night and charged in U.S. District Courts in Florida and California on Thursday.

Lam, a Singaporean citizen known online as “Anne Hathaway” and “$$$,” and Serrano, who uses the aliases “VersaceGod” and “@SkidStar,” were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.

They are accused of using their online identities to fraudulently obtain over 4,100 Bitcoin, valued at more than US$230 million, from a Washington, D.C. victim, according to a press release by the U.S. Department of Justice.

According to the Miami Herald, the FBI raided a luxury waterfront home in Miami, FL, linked to Lam as part of the investigation.

The 10-bedroom, 10-bath home, listed on Zillow for US$11.5 million, was reportedly rented out to celebrities and musicians. Agents arrested Lam in Miami, while Serrano was simultaneously apprehended in Los Angeles. Neighbours described seeing Maseratis and Lamborghinis frequently parked at the Miami residence.

The indictment alleges that since at least August 2024, Lam and Serrano, along with unnamed accomplices, used sophisticated methods to gain access to victims’ cryptocurrency accounts.

The stolen funds were laundered through cryptocurrency exchanges, “peel chains,” pass-through wallets, and virtual private networks (VPNs) to obscure their origins.

The suspects allegedly spent the proceeds on luxury goods, including cars, jewellery, and rental properties in both Miami and Los Angeles.

The raid, which took place on Wednesday, was part of a grand jury indictment unsealed the next day. Agents were seen removing high-end vehicles from the property, and damage to the front gate was visible following the operation.

Local police provided support to the FBI during the raid.

The arrests were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office, and Executive Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington, D.C. Field Office.

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