The Knesset, Israel’s parliament, approved a law on Monday that temporarily bans the retransmission inside Israel of any foreign media deemed to endanger state security. The measure specifically aims to curb information about the Gaza war broadcast by the Qatari channel Al Jazeera from now on.
The so-called Al Jazeera Law, which blocks a foreign broadcaster from harming national security, was passed in its second and third readings with a supportive majority of 71 to 10, according to the Knesset via X.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on the same platform that the terrorist network Al Jazeera will no longer transmit from Israel and that he intends to act immediately under the new law to halt the channel’s activities.
Netanyahu stated that Al Jazeera has harmed Israel’s security, actively participated in the massacre of October 7, when Hamas attacked Israeli territory and killed about 1,200 people, and incited against Israeli Defense Forces soldiers. He added that it is time to remove Hamás from the country and take decisive steps against its supporters, including the removal of voices connected to the group from Israel.
The legislation was introduced in February and has now cleared its second and third readings after extensive security cabinet discussions and parliamentary debate.
Under the law, the Minister of Communications would gain the authority to order content providers to suspend their transmissions for an initial period of 45 days, a power that could be renewed. The measure also allows the closure of the provider’s offices, the seizure of equipment, and the blocking of the provider’s website server.
The bill specifies that an order to close a foreign news channel must be reviewed by a district court, which would decide within 72 hours whether to modify or shorten the duration of the order.
Israel’s Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi supported Netanyahu, asserting that there will be no freedom of expression for Hamas spokespeople in Israel and that Al Jazeera will shut down in the coming days.
Obtaining firsthand information about events unfolding in the beleaguered Gaza Strip remains difficult because Israel has barred international reporters from entering Gaza since the war began nearly six months ago. The toll has risen to about 32,800 deaths thus far.
Al Jazeera has been one of the channels with the broadest presence on the ground in Gaza, reporting since October on hospital bombardments, attacks on residential buildings, and the deaths of unarmed Gazans. Experts say these reports could constitute war crimes depending on context and intent.
Several of its journalists have been killed in Israeli strikes, including Hamza Wael Dahdouh and Mustafa Thuria, whose vehicle was hit in southern Gaza. Veteran correspondent Wael Dahrouh has also faced personal loss, including the death of his eldest son, a journalist, and other family members.
Experts note that the new law intensifies ongoing tensions over press freedom and the handling of foreign media coverage in conflict zones, raising questions about how states balance national security concerns with the public’s right to information.
With the passage of this legislation, the Israeli government signals its determination to control the narrative surrounding the Gaza conflict and to curb channels perceived as sympathetic to Hamas or critical of Israeli policy. Critics warn of potential repercussions for civil liberties and the independence of the press, both domestically and abroad, as governments reassess how to respond to wartime reporting in an age of rapid, borderless information flow.
For observers, the move underscores the precarious line between security concerns and media access in any modern conflict, a dynamic that will likely shape not only Israeli policy but regional and international responses as well. Attribution to ongoing reporting from multiple sources remains essential to understand the evolving situation and its implications for journalists operating in and around conflict zones [attribution].