Isreal: Bill to shut 'harmful' foreign media passes first reading

Israel's parliament on Monday passed the first reading of a bill allowing authorities to shut down foreign media deemed "harmful" to national security without a court order.

The proposal, approved by 50 votes to 41 in the Knesset, still requires two more readings before becoming law.

Put forward by Likud MP Ariel Kallner, the measure seeks to make permanent what is known as the “Al Jazeera Law” - a temporary order taken during the war allowing Israel to close foreign media outlets.

Formally titled the Law to Prevent Harm to State Security by a Foreign Broadcasting Authority, the bill empowers the communications minister to block or shut down foreign channels and websites, seize their equipment, and raid offices without judicial oversight.

New amendments would also allow the minister to instruct internet and satellite providers to restrict online content or disrupt broadcasts.

If enacted, the government could exercise broad control over foreign media regardless of the security situation or international objections.

The bill comes amid growing concern over Israel’s crackdown on press freedom during its war on Gaza.

Earlier this year, Israel banned Al Jazeera and other outlets from reporting across Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. It has long barred foreign journalists from freely entering Gaza.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces have killed at least 256 Palestinian journalists in Gaza over the past two years, in what has been described as the “most dangerous ever” war for reporters.

Al Jazeera shut down

In May 2024, Israel banned Al Jazeera after raiding its office in occupied East Jerusalem and confiscating its equipment. 

Following a cabinet vote on the closure at the time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed Al Jazeera reporters had "harmed Israel’s security and incited against soldiers," and referred to the outlet as a "Hamas mouthpiece".

War on Gaza: We were lied into genocide. Al Jazeera has shown us how

Read More »

Israel's minister of communications, Shlomo Karhi, said the decision included closing Al Jazeera's offices in Israel, confiscating broadcast equipment, cutting the channel off from cable and satellite companies and blocking its websites.

Neither Netanyahu or Karhi provided examples of Al Jazeera content that they claimed posed a threat.

Al Jazeera decried the decision and said the accusation that it threatened Israeli security was a "dangerous and ridiculous lie" and was part of Israel's "ongoing suppression of the free press".

Other rights organisations, reporters and journalist associations denounced the ban, labeling it as "repressive" and a "violation" against journalistic reporting and ethics. 

The office of the UN high commissioner for human rights criticised the move at the time, saying a "free & independent media is essential to ensuring transparency & accountability.

"Now, even more so given tight restrictions on reporting from Gaza. Freedom of expression is a key human right. We urge govt to overturn ban."

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) also denounced the "repressive" decision, saying Israel sought to "censor the channel for its coverage of the war in Gaza".