Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged on Monday (1 April) to shutter the local office of Qatari satellite television network Al Jazeera while the war in Gaza continues.

Hours after his party spokesperson said parliament would be convened to ratify the necessary law, the Knesset approved the bill allowing the temporary closure in Israel of foreign broadcasters considered to be a threat to national security.

Al Jazeera, which is funded by the Qatari government, called the Israeli measure an “escalation” and said it “comes as part of a series of systematic Israeli attacks to silence Al Jazeera,” according to a statement late on Monday.

  • sun_is_ra
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    8 months ago

    the Knesset approved the bill allowing the temporary closure in Israel of foreign broadcasters considered to be a threat to national security.

    The implication of that is beyond AlJazeera and war in Gaza. This means in the future he could shut off any news channel he want by calling it “a threat to national security”.

    Israel is moving at fast pace toward dictatorship

    • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      It might not be a dictatorship, but it’s already a fascist apartheid state and should not be treated as a democracy by anyone.

        • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world
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          8 months ago

          For one thing, you stop sending it weapons and funding with which to commit crimes against humanity, using “it’s the only democratic country in the region” as an excuse.

          • AmosBurton@lemmy.world
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            8 months ago

            And a democracy should get funding and weapons for such things?

            Like, if eventually it is published that Israel really is a democracy (hypothetical) would it make everything suddenly ok in your eyes?

            • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world
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              8 months ago

              And a democracy should get funding and weapons for such things?

              No, but not pretending that it’s a democracy leaves one less excuse for the inexcusable.

              Like, if eventually it is published that Israel really is a democracy (hypothetical) would it make everything suddenly ok in your eyes?

              Nope. Crimes against humanity are always wrong no matter the perpetrators.

              • AmosBurton@lemmy.world
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                8 months ago

                If something is inexcusable, excuses are irrelevant, so I still don’t get what democracy has to do with anything here.

    • Chainweasel@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      Israel is moving at fast pace toward dictatorship.

      I remember him being in power in the late 90s when I was in middle school, Putin too.
      I think it’s safe to say that when he’s only rotating out due to term limits then going right back to office when he’s eligible means we’re already there. He was Prime Minister in 1996, that would be like Bill Clinton being president today.

      • ABCDE@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        Interesting thing I noticed, Clinton is four years younger than Biden.

        Edit: downvotes for… Posting a fact? Lol.

    • AmosBurton@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      foreign broadcasters.

      I wouldn’t call that dictatorship. The U.S. wants to ban a whole foreign app, is that a dictatorship?

          • girlfreddy@lemmy.ca
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            8 months ago

            China and Israel are currently fairly close in their dictatorial, genocidal governing style. America isn’t there … yet. If the orange kumquat is elected that may change.

      • sun_is_ra
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        8 months ago

        In order for the US to ban an app, the president need approval from congress. If he wants to ban another app tomorrow, he’d need another approval.

        However in case of Israel, Knesset approved banning of News outlets in certain cases (national security). Future banning of news outlets won’t require Knesset approval.

        • AmosBurton@lemmy.world
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          8 months ago

          https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Press_TV

          an Iranian state-owned news network that broadcasts in the English and French languages owned by Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the only organization legally able to transmit radio and TV broadcasts in Iran.

          Sure, that’s what I’m going to believe.

            • AmosBurton@lemmy.world
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              8 months ago

              the only organization legally able to transmit radio and TV broadcasts in Iran.

              Do you understand how much pressure they are under to please the supreme leader?

              Do you even understand that Iran has a supreme leader?