Jerusalem, Israel – The Israeli Parliament, the Knesset, has advanced a bill that would make permanent a law banning the Qatari-funded TV network Al Jazeera from broadcasting in the country.
If the bill passes, it would make Israel the first country in the world to permanently ban Al Jazeera. This would have significant implications for press freedom and the right to information in the region.
Israel has ordered Qatar-based news channel Al Jazeera to close its local operation. The move is an escalation of a long-running feud between the broadcaster and Israel’s hardline government. pic.twitter.com/6ecdxLhIkd
— DW News (@dwnews) May 6, 2024
June 26th, 2024: The law to make a temporary ban on foreign media broadcasts permanent, if it’s considered a threat to national security, will be sent back to a government committee for more discussion.
The Knesset said yes on Wednesday to a first look at a bill that wants to make the “Al Jazeera Law” a permanent law instead of just temporary. This law lets the government close down foreign media broadcasts if they are seen as a threat to national security. The vote was 51-36.
The government can halt broadcasts for 45 days under the current order, and the restriction on Al Jazeera will end in July. Ariel Kallner, the person who created the bill, wants to make the ban on the news channel permanent instead of renewing it every 45 days.
Following the agreements made earlier in the week during the Ministerial Committee on Legislation, the bill is set to return to the committee for further discussion before it proceeds to its initial reading in the Knesset.
During the deliberations leading up to the vote on Wednesday, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi highlighted the need for improvements in the bill, particularly in addressing issues like the loophole concerning live broadcasts on YouTube.
Minister Karhi also mentioned that the [private] bill proposed by MK Kallner was moving forward in conjunction with the ministry’s efforts. He emphasized the importance of ensuring that either one or both of the bills ultimately get passed into law.
The Justice Ministry expressed its opposition to the bill moving forward, citing concerns about national security. The Communications Ministry, on the other hand, questioned the necessity of implementing the bill as an emergency measure, especially if it poses a threat to national security as indicated by security officials.
The revised version of the bill will be sent back to the ministerial committee for additional deliberation. It includes a provision granting the communications minister the authority to direct government entities to cease the broadcast of a foreign channel, subject to legal requirements and additional approvals.
Furthermore, the bill suggests that any directives issued by the minister will have a duration of 90 days, with the potential for a 90-day extension upon the consent of the prime minister and the approval of the cabinet or government. This ensures that any decisions made regarding the broadcast of foreign channels are carefully considered and subject to appropriate oversight.
MK Evgeny Sova from Yisrael Beitenu didn’t agree with the bill. He thinks the government should focus on fighting terror instead of making new laws. He said, “Don’t waste time talking online… We already have what we need to combat Al Jazeera.”
The High Court of Justice recently issued a conditional order at the beginning of the month, instructing the state to provide an explanation for the law halting Al Jazeera broadcasts in Israel. Justices Isaac Amit, Alex Stein, and Gila Canfy-Steinitz emphasized that the order was issued without taking a position on the petition against the law, but highlighted the significance of considering it before an extended panel of justices due to its precedent-setting nature. The state is required to submit its response by August 5.
During the first hearing on the petition, Justice Amit expressed concerns about the enactment of such a significant law in democratic countries, suggesting that it may necessitate judicial oversight in a broader forum. Justice Alex Stein’s inquiries primarily focused on the potential violation of Israeli citizens’ rights to access Al Jazeera broadcasts, contrasting it with the lesser violation of a foreign entity’s rights to broadcast from Israel, which the state is not obligated to permit.
Justice Stein also underscored the importance of freedom of expression, emphasizing that it is the right of the people of the country to have access to various types of materials. This highlights the complexity of the case and the multiple factors that need to be considered in the decision-making process.
Final Note: The ban on Al Jazeera has significantly impacted the freedom of the press in Israel. Reporters who try to question the government or talk about touchy subjects might now have to deal with censorship and threats. This ban has also made other news sources think twice before reporting on anything that could make the Israeli government look bad.
Source: Al Jazeera, Twitter
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