Israeli Parliament Passes Law Allowing Ban on Al Jazeera Broadcasts

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans to utilize a newly passed national security law to prohibit news channel Al Jazeera from broadcasting within the country.

The legislation, approved by a substantial margin, grants top ministers authority to ban foreign channels deemed threats to national security and to shutter their offices.

Netanyahu specifically targeted Qatar-based Al Jazeera, citing longstanding tensions predating Israel’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza. In a statement on social media, Netanyahu declared his intention to halt the channel’s activities promptly under the new law.

Al Jazeera condemned the ban as part of ongoing Israeli efforts to silence the network, citing past incidents including the killing of a prominent journalist during coverage of an Israeli raid in May 2022. Despite challenges, the network pledged to maintain its comprehensive reporting on the conflict.

The Committee to Protect Journalists voiced concerns over the legislation, warning of increased self-censorship and hostility toward the press. The group highlighted the deadly toll on journalists during the Israel-Gaza conflict, with at least 95 media workers killed since the conflict’s outbreak, marking a grim milestone in journalistic safety.