TEL AVIV, April 1. /TASS/. The Knesset (Israel's parliament) has approved in the second and third, final readings the law allowing to close hostile media in Israel, Kan radio reported.
According to the radio, 71 deputies voted in favor of the law and 10 deputies voted against it.
The law stipulates that Israel's communications minister, with the approval of the Prime Minister, can order a foreign channel to stop broadcasting from Israel and on Israeli territory if it actually harms the security of the state, the radio station said. In addition, the communications minister can issue an order to close the offices of such a media outlet, as well as order the blocking of its website if the server is located on Israeli territory, and the confiscation of the foreign channel's equipment, the radio station added.
On October 20, 2023, the Israeli government approved new regulations that allow authorities to immediately close the offices of foreign media outlets if their actions harm national security. On November 13, the security cabinet approved emergency regulations allowing hostile foreign news TV channels to stop broadcasting, Kan radio reported.
The hostile media bill was approved by the Knesset in its first reading on February 12, 2024, after which it received the necessary approvals in parliamentary committees.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, following the Knesset's approval of the bill, has already promised to take swift action to prevent Qatar’s Al Jazeera from broadcasting from Israel. "The terror channel Al Jazeera will no longer broadcast from Israel," his office said in a statement.
Hamas attack on October 7, 2023
Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7, 2023, when militants from the Gaza Strip-based radical Palestinian movement Hamas staged a surprise attack on Israeli territory from Gaza, killing residents of Israeli border settlements and taking over 240 hostages, including women, children and the elderly. Hamas described its attack as a response to the aggressive actions of Israeli authorities against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City. In response, Israel declared a total blockade of the Gaza Strip, home to 2.3 million Palestinians before the crisis, and has been delivering air strikes on Gaza as well as some parts of Lebanon and Syria. Clashes have also been reported on the West Bank.