Israeli lawmakers passed a controversial law on Monday that allows the government to temporarily shut down foreign media outlets deemed to undermine the country’s national security. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wasted no time in announcing that he would use this new law to block Al Jazeera broadcasts and activities in Israel.
The strained relationship between Netanyahu’s government and Al Jazeera has been ongoing for years, but tensions escalated following a Hamas-led attack on October 7. Netanyahu has accused Al Jazeera of being a “Hamas mouthpiece” and has now declared that it is time for the Qatar-based network to cease broadcasting in Israel.
In a tweet posted while recovering from hernia surgery, Netanyahu stated, “The terrorist channel Al Jazeera will no longer broadcast from Israel. I intend to act immediately in accordance with the new law to stop the channel’s activity.” Al Jazeera fired back, calling Netanyahu’s comments “lies that incite against the safety of our journalists around the world.”
Under the new law, if a foreign media outlet is deemed to “concretely undermine” Israel’s national security, the government can take several actions, including closing its offices, confiscating equipment, removing it from Israeli cable and satellite providers, and blocking access to online platforms hosted on Israeli servers.
Critics, including the Committee to Protect Journalists and the White House press secretary, have expressed concerns about the new law, citing threats to press freedom. The White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, emphasized the importance of freedom of the press, calling the move “concerning.”
The timing of this law is significant as Israel is currently engaged in cease-fire negotiations with Hamas, facilitated by Qatar, which also funds Al Jazeera. The Qatari government has not yet commented on the situation.
The passing of this law marks a pivotal moment in Israel’s media landscape and raises questions about the future of press freedom in the country.
