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January 23, 2025 – Palestine/Israel –
The Palestinian Authority (PA) arrested Al Jazeera journalist Mohamed Atrash in Hebron, reportedly to prevent him from covering an Israeli military raid in Jenin. PA security forces stormed Atrash’s home in the early hours, detaining him without formal charges. The arrest followed previous efforts by the PA to bar him from reporting in the area.
Al Jazeera Media Network strongly condemned the arrest, calling it an “arbitrary and unjustified” act meant to suppress press freedom and block media coverage of critical events in Jenin. The network stated that Atrash was simply fulfilling his journalistic duty and demanded his immediate release. Al Jazeera also held the PA responsible for Atrash’s safety and legal rights.
This incident forms part of a broader pattern of repression targeting Al Jazeera’s work in the West Bank. In recent months, the Palestinian Authority has escalated its pressure on the network, banning its operations in some regions and issuing restrictions on coverage of sensitive military and political developments. Media rights groups view these moves as attempts to silence independent journalism and prevent the dissemination of information that challenges official narratives.
The arrest of Atrash mirrors earlier actions by Israeli authorities, who banned Al Jazeera from operating within Israel in May 2024 and raided its Ramallah bureau later that year. The coordinated pressure from both Israeli and Palestinian authorities underscores the increasingly hostile environment for journalists reporting on the ground.
Press freedom advocates have denounced the PA’s actions as a betrayal of democratic principles. The arrest highlights the precarious position of Palestinian journalists, who now face restrictions from both Israeli forces and their leadership. The Independent Commission for Human Rights and other watchdog groups have begun monitoring the case, though official responses remain muted.
As international concern grows, calls are mounting for the immediate release of Mohamed Atrash and for the Palestinian Authority to respect journalists’ right to report freely, especially in conflict-affected areas like Jenin. His detention reflects a wider erosion of media freedom in Palestine, where critical reporting is increasingly under threat from multiple directions.
Reference –
Palestinian Authority detains Al Jazeera journalist for Israeli raid coverage
