The so-called Al Jazeera law, which gives the government temporary powers to prevent foreign news networks from operating in Israel if they are deemed to be harming national security, passed its second and third readings in the Knesset plenum.
Praising the law’s passage, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi says, “There will be no freedom of speech for Hamas mouthpieces in Israel. Al Jazeera will be closed in the coming days.”
Earlier today, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had spoken with coalition whip Ofir Katz to ensure the law would pass.
The law empowers the communications minister to order “content providers” to cease broadcasting the channel in question; order the channel’s Israeli offices to be shuttered; order the channel’s equipment be confiscated; and order the channel’s website to be taken offline, if the server is physically located in Israel, or otherwise block access to the website.
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