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Parliament passed a bill on Monday aimed at suspending Qatari state news outlet Al Jazeera from operations in Israel.
Likud announced on Monday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with coalition party leader Ofir Katz to ensure the passage of the bill and to urge him to take immediate action to shut down Al Jazeera in accordance with the procedures established by law. did.
According to the law, if the Prime Minister is satisfied that content broadcast by foreign media “substantially harms” the country’s security, the Minister of Communications must order the government to stop that media from being broadcast on television in Israel. A resolution could be introduced to block it and shut down Israeli television broadcasts. It closes offices, confiscates equipment used for broadcasting, and blocks websites under certain conditions.
Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi passed the law after reports emerged that the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and the Israel Defense Forces had warned that Al Jazeera broadcasts were revealing military locations and putting soldiers at risk. led the government’s efforts toward
The law contained several hurdles due to concerns about its chilling effect on foreign media and damage to press freedom. First, all of Israel’s security agencies must submit their opinions and submit them to the government for the government to approve the move. “Factual basis” to prove that there is “actual harm” to national security. Second, this decision only applies for his 45 days, must be reauthorized every 45 days, and expires on July 31st. Thirdly, the decision must be submitted to the president or deputy president of the district court within her 24 hours, and the judge must issue a judgment within 3 days regarding any “variation” of the decision or the limitation of its application period. must be lowered.
By law, the government must clear a number of hurdles before banning the station.
Knesset legal advisers argued that the provision for judicial review would be deemed unconstitutional by Israel’s Supreme Court if it was not included in the bill. Karhi and other coalition members argued during the legislative process that the judiciary should not have this power, but ultimately agreed to keep the provision in the final version of the bill.
“There will be no freedom of expression for the Hamas organization in Israel. Al Jazeera will be shut down within days,” Karhi said in a written statement after the bill was passed.
“We have brought an efficient and rapid tool to counter those who use freedom of the press to harm Israeli security, IDF soldiers, and incite wartime terrorism.” he said.
The opposition United Right, which left the government in March, announced its support for the bill. MK Ze’ev Elkin said, “It is prohibited to allow the activities of groups that spread blatant anti-Israel propaganda,” adding, “It is unfortunate that the Prime Minister delayed shutting down the broadcasting stations at the start of the war.” Stated.
MKs from Israel’s two Arab parties, Hadash Ta’al and Ra’am, opposed the bill during a debate in the plenary session of parliament, stating that the reason Israel wants to block Al Jazeera from broadcasting in Israel is because of the extent of destruction and the damage done to civilians. He claimed that it was to hide it. Casualties in Gaza.
“My fellow Israelis, they are trying to subject you to a cognitive siege… to cut off information about what is being done in your name,” Hadash Taal MK Aida Touma・Slimane said.
The government approved similar emergency regulations in December that temporarily shut down Al Jazeera, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly decided not to do so to avoid harming hostage negotiations that Qatar is facilitating. It is reported that the decision has been made. Hadash Ta’al MK Ayman Odeh claimed that the prime minister had agreed to the closure this time, despite ongoing negotiations to delay the hostage deal that could threaten the stability of the government.
Right-wing opposition MKs from the Yisrael Beytenu party criticized the bill for not being strict enough and the six-month delay in passing it.
Labor Prime Minister Gilad Khalifa said the bill was a “joke” because Netanyahu had long been the “father” of the idea to involve Qatar in financing Hamas. Qarib argued that Prime Minister Netanyahu continues to cooperate with Qatar and that the real problem is Qatar’s support for Hamas, not Al Jazeera. He added that, in his opinion, the move to shut down Al Jazeera was coordinated with the Qatari side.
Stephen Dujarric, a spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres, said he was concerned about the law’s passage.
“It’s a serious concern that journalists’ right to operate anywhere in the world is being restricted. And, frankly, we’re seeing negative trends in that regard around the world.” Dujarric told reporters in New York.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the United States was concerned about Congress passing the bill.
“We believe in freedom of the press. It’s very important. The United States supports the very important work that journalists around the world are doing.
“That includes people covering the Gaza conflict. So we believe that work matters and that freedom of the press matters,” she told reporters in Washington. Ta.
Tovah Lazaroff contributed to this report.
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