Israel’s Netanyahu urges Knesset to pass bill to close Al Jazeera

By Anadolu staff

JERUSALEM (AA) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Monday to shut down Al Jazeera television as soon as the Knesset (parliament) passes a law enabling the closure of the Qatari channel.

The Knesset (Israel’s parliament) is set to vote on the second and third readings of a bill to close down Al Jazeera television on Monday evening.

The first reading of the bill was passed on Feb. 12.

Netanyahu met with coalition whip Ofir Katz and urged him to pass the bill on Monday, his Likud Party said in a statement.

The Israeli premier said he will “immediately act to close Al Jazeera” following the bill's passage in the Knesset.

​​​​​​​Under the bill, the communications minister will be empowered to shut down foreign networks operating in Israel and confiscate their equipment if the defense minister identifies that their broadcast poses “an actual harm to the state’s security.”

Al Jazeera has an office in Israel and a team of correspondents working year-round, including covering Israel’s ongoing war on the Gaza Strip, which has killed nearly 32,850 people since Oct. 7, 2023.