Israel approves media censorship bill

Israel’s parliament has approved in first reading a bill that would allow the closure of foreign media offices and the confiscation of their equipment in the event of a threat to the country’s security. The Times of Israel reported this on Monday, February 12.

The document says this is a temporary measure that will allow the government to censor foreign media.

“According to the bill, the Minister of Communications will have the authority to shut down foreign networks operating in Israel and confiscate their equipment if the minister believes they are actually harmful to the state’s security,” the publication wrote.

At the same time, the newspaper points to the Qatari TV channel Al Jazeera, which operates in Israel. It was noted that in November, Israel’s Communications Minister said that Al Jazeera had photographed and published the location of IDF forces, broadcast Hamas’s war declarations and distorted the facts in a way to incite to people to riot.

In addition, the IDF found documents in the Gaza Strip indicating that Palestinian journalist Mohamed Washah, who works for Al Jazeera, is also a commander of the military wing of Hamas.

“In the morning he is a journalist for Al Jazeera, and at night he is a terrorist of Hamas!” – Lieutenant Colonel and IDF spokesman Avichai Adri commented on the information.

The Times of Israel recalls that in October 2023, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused to submit for the approval of the military-political cabinet the issue of closing the Israeli branch of the Qatari TV channel Al Jazeera, whose activities , according to the security block, is harmful. the security of the country. According to one version, the discussion on the closure of Al Jazeera was postponed due to the role of Qatar in the negotiations for the release of hostages from the Gaza Strip.