RAMALLAH: The Palestinian Authority on Wednesday ordered the suspension of broadcasts by the Qatar-based Al Jazeera across the Palestinian territories, accusing the network of airing "inciting content", official media reported.
"The specialised ministerial committee, comprising the ministries of culture, interior and communications, has decided to suspend broadcasts and freeze all activities of Al Jazeera satellite channel and its office in Palestine," the official Wafa news agency said.
"The decision also includes temporarily freezing the work of all journalists, employees, crews and affiliated channels until their legal status is rectified due to Al Jazeera's violations of the laws and regulations in force in Palestine," the report said.
"This decision comes in response to Al Jazeera's insistence on broadcasting inciting content and reports characterised by misinformation, incitement, sedition and interference in Palestinian internal affairs," it added.
An Al Jazeera employee contacted by AFP confirmed that the network's office in Ramallah had received a suspension order on Wednesday.
Tensions between the network and the Fatah movement of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, have risen in recent weeks due to the channel's coverage of clashes between Palestinian security forces and resistance fighters in Jenin.
The Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority's decision comes more than three months after Israeli forces raided the network's office in Ramallah.
The network is already banned from broadcasting from Israel amid a long-running feud with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, which has only worsened during the ongoing war in Gaza. - AFP