Israel's telecoms regulator has extended a ban on Al Jazeera's operations in the country for an additional 45 days, citing security concerns. The initial 35-day ban, imposed on national security grounds, was upheld by a Tel Aviv court last week and ended on Saturday.
In a separate 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 Top Court has given the government until August 8 to argue why the law preventing foreign broadcasters from harming national security should not be deemed void.
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"We will not allow the terrorist channel Al Jazeera to broadcast from Israel and endanger our fighters," said Shlomo Karhi, Israel's communications minister. "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."
Al Jazeera has denied inciting violence or terrorism and has criticised Israel's military operations in Gaza. Last time it was banned, Al Jazeera released a statement condemning the shutdown, describing it as a “criminal act” and warning that Israel’s suppression of the free press “stands in contravention of international and humanitarian law”. The statement further said that Al Jazeera would continue to provide news to a global audience.
Israel's relationship with Al Jazeera has been strained for some time, with Israeli authorities accusing the broadcaster of harbouring an anti-Israel bias and collaborating with the militant group Hamas. The Qatar-based network has repeatedly rejected the accusations.
Al Jazeera has reported extensively on the war in Gaza, which has seen at least 37,084 Palestinians killed and 84,494 wounded since October 7. The death toll in Israel from Hamas's October 7 attacks stands at 1,139, with dozens still held captive.
