23/09/24 (Agence Europe) – The EU delegation to the Palestinians has expressed its “deep concern” at the closure of Al-Jazeera’s office in Ramallah (West Bank) by Israeli forces. The day before, masked and armed Israeli soldiers raided the offices of the Qatari television station and a 45-day closure order was issued by Israel. “A free and independent media is vital for democracy and accountability. Press freedom has to be guaranteed everywhere especially in war contexts, where journalists and media workers must be protected and play an essential role in providing the public with accurate and timely information“, warned the delegation on X. Al-Jazeera has already been banned from broadcasting in Israel since May (see EUROPE 13383/23). (CG)