The state’s parliament, the Knesset, has passed a law to stop the broadcasting of Al Jazeera, an international media outlet based in Qatar, in Israel.
Israeli lawmakers gave the law the green light on Monday (April 1) after several rounds of review. The legislation passed by a vote of 70-10.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the Knesset to pass the bill and pledged to work immediately to shut down Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera reported, citing news agencies AFP and The Times of Israel.
According to the new law, if Israel’s Ministry of Defense ever recommends the closure of Al Jazeera in the interests of national security, it has the right to immediately stop broadcasting in Israel, seal the office of Al Jazeera’s Israel branch, and confiscate all its assetsState Ministry of Information will receive.This punitive action has been taken against Al Jazeera mainly for publishing news on the ongoing war between the Israeli forces and the Gaza ruling group Hamas. Israel accuses Al Jazeera of publishing news on behalf of Hamas.
It was introduced in the Knesset in the form of a first bill last February 12. After four or five rounds of review, the bill became law on Monday with a vote by Israeli lawmakers.
Earlier, on October 20 last year, Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, passed a bill to shut down Al Jazeera’s broadcasts and local offices for 30 days
