Netanyahu is preventing the closure of Israel's Al Jazeera bureau - report

Contrary to previous claims that Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara does not support closing Al Jazeera in Israel, it is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who is causing the delay.

In the latest debate, he refused to bring the issue for approval by the cabinet, despite the Mossad and Shin Bet's (Israel Security Agency) claims that the channel endangers IDF soldiers.

On Friday, the government approved emergency regulations to close broadcasters that pose a threat to national security. However, the wording of the resolution was softened after concerns were raised about potential harm to freedom of expression in Israel.

Why does Israel want to close Al Jazeera?

Originally, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi proposed the closure of media outlets that harm national morale, but this was revised to focus on "foreign media organizations that significantly harm Israel's security during times of war" after seeking legal advice.

Additionally, the original version required a judge's decision within three days, otherwise the regulations would be canceled, but this requirement was removed from the final version. It is worth noting that Al Jazeera was criticized at the start of the war for broadcasting from assembly areas that could hinder IDF operations. The channel has also faced criticism for allegedly echoing Hamas messages throughout the war.

The Association for Civil Rights in Israel argued that there was no urgent security justification for implementing emergency regulations to close media outlets. They claim that these regulations, driven by populist claims in the name of security, should be immediately revoked due to their potential dangers.