Israel moves to shut down Al Jazeera’s local office and confiscate equipment, in effort to suppress pro-Palestinian coverage
The Israeli government has approved a set of regulations that will let it temporarily shut down foreign news channels like Al Jazeera, if the government finds that their coverage puts national security in jeopardy. The regulation will apply during states of emergency, including Israel’s current war on the militant group Hamas.
According to The Times of Israel, the country’s Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi “has led the charge” to pass these regulations, in order to shut down the Al Jazeera news channel’s coverage from the region, arguing that the outlet’s pro-Palestinian position is a threat to Israel’s national security.
The Times of Israel quotes Karhi as saying:
Israel is at war on land, in the air, at sea, and on the public diplomacy front. We will not allow in any way broadcasts that harm the security of the state… The broadcasts and reports of Al Jazeera constitute incitement against Israel, help Hamas-ISIS and the terror organizations with their propaganda, and encourage violence against Israel.
The regulation gives Israel’s communication minister (that is, Karhi himself) and the minister of defense the power to ban reporting and broadcasting by foreign outlets, close their Israeli offices, confiscate equipment, and either shut down or restrict access to their website, depending on the location of their servers, The Times of Israel reports.
The decision to suspend a media outlet’s operations must be formally approved by the security cabinet. It’s also subject to review by a district court. Once made, the decision will remain in force for 30 days, subject to being extended by further 30-day increments.
Israel’s emergency regulations will be in place for three months or until the state of emergency is formally ended by the government.