Bill permitting closure of foreign media in Israel passes initial reading

The Knesset has approved a bill that aims to protect the security of the state from any harm caused by foreign media.

This legislation grants the Minister of Communications the power to shut down the operations of specific foreign media outlets in Israel and potentially restrict access to their websites.

Under the terms of the bill, which saw 25 deputies in favor and only five opposed, the Minister of Communications can only exercise these powers if the Minister of Defense issues an official conclusion, based on expert assessments, that the activities of a particular media outlet pose a direct threat to national security.

Before the vote, Israeli government ministers had already approved the bill via a telephone vote.

This move comes after earlier administrative orders, proposed in October 2023, aimed to halt the activities of foreign media in Israel. Notably, this included the Qatari TV channel Al Jazeera, although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stopped the process from moving forward.

The recent vote follows revelations from the IDF press service indicating a direct link between a journalist from Al Jazeera and Hamas. According to information from the army press service reported by Kan, a resident of the Al-Bureij refugee camp has been involved with Hamas since 2022, participating in activities associated with the group's military wing.

Once the law is finalized, the government will have the authority to shut down Al Jazeera's operations in Israel, close its bureau, and seize assets. However, it remains unclear if access to the channel's website will be blocked, similar to what occurred with the website of Al-Mayadeen TV channel.