The Qatari television network Al Jazeera called today “criminal” the raid by Israeli forces on his offices in Ramallahin the possessed West Bank and serving a 45-day closure order.

Al Jazeera “strongly condemns and denounces this criminal act,” the network said in a press release, adding that the “raid” on its office and “seizure” of its equipment was not “just an attack” against of, “but an affront to the freedom of the press and the values ​​of journalism”.

On his part, Mr Israeli army said today that Al Jazeera’s office in Ramallah was “being used to incite terrorism”.

The shutdown order was signed following a legal opinion and an intelligence assessment that found “the offices were being used to incite terrorism, to support terrorist activities and the network’s broadcasts were endangering security and public order in the region and throughout the State of Israel,” the Israeli military said in a press release.