The Israeli government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made the bold decision to shut down the local operations of Al Jazeera Television in Israel during the ongoing conflict in Gaza, citing the Qatari network as a threat to national security.
Netanyahu took to social media to announce the unanimous decision made by the cabinet, declaring, “The inciting channel Al Jazeera will be closed in Israel.”
Official orders have been signed by Israel’s communications minister to take immediate action, although Al Jazeera may still challenge the move through legal means.
The measures outlined entail the closure of Al Jazeera’s offices in Israel, the confiscation of their broadcasting equipment, the channel’s disconnection by cable and satellite providers, as well as the blocking of its websites.
Being funded by the Qatari government, Al Jazeera has been critical of Israel’s military operations in Gaza, with their reporters actively covering events from the conflict zone. The Israeli statement, however, does not mention Al Jazeera’s operations in Gaza.
Last month, Israel’s parliament approved a law allowing the temporary closure of foreign broadcasters in the country if they pose a threat to national security.
Al Jazeera has refuted claims of being a security threat and views the closure as an attempt to silence their coverage.
The law grants Netanyahu and the security cabinet the authority to shut down Al Jazeera in Israel for 45 days, with a possibility of extension. This means the closure could last until the end of July or until major military operations in Gaza conclude, as highlighted by RSE.