Al-Jazeera TV banned from West Bank

September 7th, 2009 Israel approves 366 new West Bank apartmentsJERUSALEM — Israel has officially approved construction of 366 new apartments in the West Bank. Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Monday that he intends to soon approve about 84 more.

September 3rd, 2009 Building of new West Bank housing dropsJERUSALEM — Israeli government statistics show that construction of new homes in the Israel's West Bank settlements fell by one-third in the first half of 2009 from a year earlier. The numbers bolster settlers' claims that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has partially frozen settlement construction under U.S.

July 19th, 2009 RAMALLAH - The Palestinian Authority (PA) has decided to lift its ban preventing the al-Jazeera satellite channel from working in the West Bank, but at the same time said it would go ahead with planned legal measures against the Qatari-based broadcaster. "The decision to reopen the pan-Arab channel's offices in the West Bank was motivated by the Palestinian Authority's interest in the freedom of the press," a statement issued Sunday by Prime Minister Salam Fayyad's office in Ramallah said.

July 15th, 2009 Palestinians suspend Al-Jazeera in West BankRAMALLAH, West Bank — The Palestinian government shut down the West Bank operations of the Arabic satellite channel Al-Jazeera on Wednesday, a day after a guest on the station accused the Palestinian president of involvement in Yasser Arafat's death. For the feisty news station — the Arab world's most popular — the closure represents the latest clash with a Middle Eastern government.

July 15th, 2009 RAMALLAH - The Palestinian Authority (PA) Wednesday shut down the West Bank office of al-Jazeera, amid a storm over allegations that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas conspired with former Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon to assassinate late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. A statement issued by Prime Minister Salam Fayyad's office cited incitement against the PA and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as the reason for its decision to shut down the Qatar-based Arabic news channel's local office.

July 15th, 2009 Palestinans suspend Al-Jazeera in West BankRAMALLAH, West Bank — The Palestinian government said Wednesday it is suspending the West Bank operations of the Arab news station Al-Jazeera, alleging incitement and unbalanced reporting from the Palestinian territories. A Palestinian official says the decision was taken by President Mahmoud Abbas who was outraged by an Al-Jazeera talk show, broadcast Tuesday, that dealt with harsh accusations against Abbas by an old rival in his Fatah movement.

July 14th, 2009 3 Israelis wounded in West Bank attackJERUSALEM — The military says three Israelis have been wounded, one seriously, after being attacked by stone-throwing Palestinians in the West Bank. The three were returning early Tuesday from praying at an ancient gravesite near the town of Qalqiliya, in the northern West Bank, when they were pelted with stones from a nearby wedding celebration.

July 14th, 2009 West Bank car accident injures 3 IsraelisJERUSALEM — The Israeli military says three Israelis have been injured after crashing their car in the West Bank. The military had earlier said that Palestinians pelted their car with stones, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle and crash.

June 25th, 2009 DUBAI - The English version of the Qatar-based television news channel Al Jazeera is set to make its first major foray into the US market July 1 through a cable TV company in the Washington DC area. "I can tell you that on July 1 we are going to launch an agreement with a Washington DC-based company that has around 2.3 million subscribers," said Al Jazeera's director general Wadah Khanfar.

June 22nd, 2009 DUBAI - The Al Qaeda would use Pakistan's nuclear weapons against the US if it was able to get its hands on them, a top commander of the terror group has said. "God willing, the nuclear weapons will not fall into the hands of the Americans and the Mujahideen would take them and use them against the Americans," said Mustafa Abu al-Yazid in an interview to Al Jazeera channel aired Sunday.

June 16th, 2009 KABUL - Al Jazeera said Tuesday that it had been unable to contact two of its Afghan journalists who were detained by Afghanistan's intelligence service and has called for their immediate release. Qaiz Azimy and Hamdedullah Shah, who worked as producers for Al Jazeera Kabul bureau's English and Arabic services have been held by the National Directorate of Security (NDS), Afghanistan's intelligence wing, since Sunday.

June 2nd, 2009 Ex-Pink Floyd rocker wants Israeli wall downAIDA REFUGEE CAMP, West Bank — The legendary rocker and co-founder of Pink Floyd says he would give a concert in a flash if Israel's West Bank wall is torn down. Roger Waters made the promise Tuesday during a visit to a Palestinian refugee camp that is hemmed in by the separation barrier's tall slabs of cement.

May 31st, 2009 RAMALLAH - At least six people were killed Sunday during a shootout between an armed group and the Palestinian security forces in the northern West Bank city of Qalqilya, the police said. Three of the dead were members of the security forces, two were gunmen and the sixth was owner of the building where the fighting took place, according Adnan Dmeiri, a spokesman for the security forces.

May 31st, 2009 6 dead in internal Palestinian fightingQALQILIYA, West Bank — Palestinian security officials say six people have been killed in a firefight between Hamas fighters and Palestinian policemen in the West Bank. The officials say three of the men are Palestinian policemen loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah.

May 8th, 2009 Israeli soldier killed in West Bank clashJERUSALEM — The military says an Israeli soldier has been shot to death in a clash in the West Bank. The military says he was shot before dawn Thursday while troops were trying to quell rioting in the village of Bir Zeit near Ramallah.