Knesset committee to discuss closure of Al Jazeera

The Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee will debate the closure of Al Jazeera in Israel after the Knesset plenum deliberated the issue on Wednesday.

The issue was raised by MKs Oded Forer (Yisrael Beytenu), Ze’ev Elkin (National Unity), Moshe Passal (Likud), Simcha Rothman (Religious Zionist Party), Erez Malul (Shas), and Moshe Roth (United Torah Judaism).

The MKs said in a statement they had raised the issue in the Knesset because “despite the fact that the government passed the regulations and approved the process that will allow the channel’s closure, the prime minister has refrained from raising the subject for a debate and decision in the ministers’ security committee.”

Communications Minister Shlom

'Issue is in hands of Defense Minister'

Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, who initiated the process earlier this month, responded to the vote in Knesset, explaining that it wasn't Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who was holding up the process.

"The prime minister instructed us to do the security and legal work that would limit the channel's broadcasts, and we are determined to continue the process until it's complete," he said. "The issue is in the hands of Defense Minister [Yoav Gallant]. After his approval, which we have not yet received, the request will be brought to the approval of the cabinet."

According to emergency regulations, the communications minister is able to shut down channels that are deemed a risk to national security, but in order to do so, Karhi needs the approval of Gantz and the cabinet.

Gallant's office, however, denied the claim that he was holding up the process saying that "the defense minister supports limiting the broadcasts and activities of Al-Jazeera in Israel immediately