Israeli soldiers in Palestine

Israeli forces early on Tuesday raided a radio station in the West Bank city of Hebron and ordered it shut for six months, Palestinian officials said.

Ayman Qawasmi, the Director of the station, Minbar al-Hurriah 92.7 FM, said a large army unit marched into the station’s office in the Palestinian-controlled section of Hebron and seized equipment before handing the staff an order, closing it for six months.

“Israel says the station is inciting violence because we say youth are being executed,” Qawasmi told newsmen.

Israeli government officials had previously threatened to take legal action to shut down official Palestine TV and radio, which operate out of Ramallah, the de facto Palestinian capital, on incitement grounds.

Israel also vowed to act against inflammatory rhetoric that calls for armed attacks against Israelis as part of efforts to “defend” the al-Aqsa Mosque, a Jerusalem holy site.

In a related development, the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate said more than 100 journalists have been hurt by tear gas and rubber bullets or been subject to beatings while covering clashes between Palestinians and Israeli soldiers in the West Bank in October.