Tuesday, June 11, 2024 -Israel has extended a ban on Al Jazeera's operations for another 45 days.
Israel's telecoms regulator said the ban
came after the Israeli war 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 another 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".
The Supreme Court gave Israel's
government until August 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, saying it only criticised Israel's military operations in
Gaza.
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 close relationship
between the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas and Al Jazeera, accusing the
channel of promoting Hamas' goals.
Al Jazeera said it "rejects all the
minister's claims, excuses and accusations".
0 Comments