NETANYAHU REVIVES PUSH TO SHUT DOWN AL JAZEERA IN ISRAEL

Mon 01 April 2024:

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has revived a push to close down Al Jazeera in Israel.

The Israeli leader demanded on Monday that his coalition government prepare to push legislation through the Knesset that would allow the prime minister to shut down foreign news networks.

Netanyahu, who has long sought to shutter broadcasts from the Qatari-based media outlet, promised to “immediately act to close Al Jazeera” following the law’s adoption, according to a statement from his Likud party.

The bill, passed in a first reading in February, would give the prime minister and the communications minister the authority to order the closure of foreign networks operating in Israel and confiscate their equipment if it is believed that they pose “harm to the state’s security”.

The revived push to shut the station comes as Netanyahu faces huge protests against his handling of Israel’s war with Hamas.

Bill to close Al Jazeera offices

Last week, a bill to close the offices of foreign networks that “work against the state”, including Al Jazeera, passed its second and third reading in the Israeli Knesset, the Israeli Public Broadcaster reported.

The draft law, which aims to prevent the operation of the Qatari media network Al Jazeera and similar entities within the occupation state, authorises the minister of communications to take measures against foreign channels which Israel deems to be working against the security of the occupation state, after the approval of the prime minister and the Council of Ministers or the government.

Measures which can be taken against such media companies include: closing their offices, confiscating broadcast equipment, preventing the broadcast of the channel’s reports, removing the channel from the cable and satellite network, and blocking its websites, among other measures.

The bill was proposed by Minister of Communications, Shlomo Karhi, who said: “Despite all the legal blunders and ridiculous balances, we have obtained an effective and quick tool to act against those who use freedom of the press to harm the security of Israel and the army’s soldiers. The law will be approved next Monday in the Knesset’s plenary session, and then we will begin taking urgent measures against a number of foreign channels that harm the security of the state.”

Committee Chairman, Knesset member Zvika Foghel, said: “Approval of this draft law constitutes an important part of the defensive wall of the State of Israel.”

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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