So who's responsible? Communications Minister Shlomo Krei said on Wednesday in response to a proposed order regarding the closure of Al-Jazeera TV: "The prime minister has instructed to carry out legal security work that will limit the channel's broadcasts, we are determined to continue the process until its completion. The matter is before the defense minister, after his agreement, which we have not yet received, the request will be submitted to the cabinet for approval."
However, Galant said that contrary to what was claimed, "the defense minister supports restricting Al-Jazeera TV's broadcasts and activity from Israel immediately."
The Knesset plenum held a discussion on an urgent agenda proposal on "the government's obligation to immediately shut down Al-Jazeera TV, which incites against the State of Israel and supports Hamas while broadcasting from Israeli territory." The proposal was submitted by MKs Oded Forer, Zeev Elkin, Moshe Pesal, Simcha Rothman, Erez Malul and Moshe Roth.
Explanatory notes to the proposal stated: "Although the government has already passed regulations and approved a process that will enable the closure of the channel, the prime minister refrained from bringing the issue to the Ministerial Committee for Security Affairs for discussion and decision and to promote the immediate closure of the channel.
In the meantime, the channel, which serves as the mouthpiece of the Hamas movement, broadcasts from inside Israeli territory, while transmitting information to our enemies, inciting against the State of Israel and expressing support for Hamas. Every minute that the channel continues to broadcast from the State of Israel harms the security of the state, endangers our citizens and soldiers, and even constitutes a demonstration of weakness and weakness in the face of the terror that finds supporters on Al Jazeera."
Communications Minister Shlomo Krei responded to the proposal, saying: "This channel, which has been operating from Israel for many years and serves as the propaganda arm of the Hamas movement, enabled its broadcasts, among other things, broadcasting Hamas military announcements, distorting facts in a way that incited the masses to riots, encouraging fighting alongside Hamas terrorists, and filming and publicizing the location of our forces, and more.
It cannot be tolerated that a media outlet with press cards from the government press office, with offices and reporters in Israel, will harm state security, certainly in times of war. The Prime Minister has instructed to carry out legal security work that will restrict the broadcasts of this channel, and we are determined to continue this process until its completion.
As far as we are concerned, the orders are ready for removal from Hot and Yes, for the closure of offices, for the confiscation of letter broadcasting equipment, for the revocation of press certificates, for the denial of communication and Internet services by Israeli companies, everything is ready. The debate on the need to restrict broadcasting is ongoing. In order to restrict the channel's broadcasts, it is necessary to meet the conditions specified in the emergency regulations, including the position of the defense minister, who was convinced on the basis of the positions of security officials that Al-Jazeera's broadcasts do indeed seriously harm state security. This matter is before the defense minister, after his agreement that we have not yet received, the request will be submitted to the cabinet for approval."
Ten Knesset members voted in favor of transferring the issue to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee for discussion.
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