Skip to main content

Israel extends Al Jazeera ban by 45 days, cites security threat

1 min

A ban on Al Jazeera's operations in Israel was extended for another 45 days by Israel's telecoms regulator on Sunday after the cabinet agreed its broadcasts posed a threat to security.

A man walks near an Al Jazeera building in Doha, Qatar, May 5, 2024. Reuters/Arafat Barbakh

A ban on Al Jazeera's operations in Israel was extended for another 45 days by Israel's telecoms regulator on Sunday after the cabinet agreed its broadcasts posed a threat to security.

A Tel Aviv court last week upheld an initial 35-day ban on Al Jazeera operations in Israel, imposed by the government on national security grounds, which ended on Saturday.

In a separate ruling on a petition by Al Jazeera against the closure, Israel's Supreme Court described the measure against the Qatari-backed broadcaster channel as "precedent-setting".

It gave Israel's government until Aug. 8 to offer arguments for "why it should not be determined that the Law Preventing a Foreign Broadcaster from Harming National Security" is void.

Al Jazeera had told the court it did not incite violence or terrorism and that the ban was disproportionate, court documents showed. The channel, which has criticised Israel's military operations in Gaza, was not immediately available for comment.

The network's broadcasts on the cable and satellite companies and access to its websites will remain blocked, Israel's Communications Ministry said.

"We will not allow the terrorist channel Al Jazeera to broadcast from Israel and endanger our fighters," said Shlomo Karhi, adding that the law authorised him as communications minister to take such action against foreign broadcasters.

"In light of the seriousness of the damage to the security of the state I am convinced that the closure orders will be extended in the future as well," he said.

Judge Shai Yaniv had said he had been provided with evidence, which he did not specify, of a long-standing and close relationship between the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas and Al Jazeera, accusing the channel of promoting Hamas' goals.

Israeli authorities raided a Jerusalem hotel room used by Al Jazeera as its office on May 5 and said they were shutting the operation down for the duration of the Gaza war.

By Steven Scheer

Related

Lebanon

"Help me, help you"

A U.S. official asked Lebanon to declare a unilateral ceasefire with Israel to revive stalled talks to end Israeli-Hezbollah hostilities, a senior Lebanese political source and a senior diplomat said - a claim denied by both sides.

Israel

Four Thai nationals reportedly killed by Hezbollah

Four Thai nationals were killed and one was injured by rocket fire near the town of Metula, close to the border between Lebanon and Israel, Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa posted on the social media platform X on Friday.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Mena banner 4

To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.

  • Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.