Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in May announced that his government has decided to close Al Jazeera channel’s operations in the country. “The government headed by me unanimously decided: the incitement channel Al Jazeera will be closed in Israel,” Netanyahu posted on X, thanking his Minister of Communications, Shlomo Karhi.

In April Netanyahu had accused the Qatar-based channel of “harming” Israel’s security and “actively participating” in the October 7 massacre incited against IDF soldiers. “The terrorist channel Al Jazeera will no longer broadcast from Israel. I intend to act immediately in accordance with the new law to stop the channel’s activity. I welcome the law promoted by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi with the support of coalition members led by coalition chairman Ofir Katz,” Netanyahu said on April 1 after the Israeli Parliament passed a law to act against foreign media content that harms national security.

In early May, Karhi stated that after the Cabinet’s approval, he had immediately signed the orders against Al Jazeera. “Our orders will go into effect immediately. Too much time has passed and too many unnecessary legal hurdles for us to finally be able to stop Al Jazeera’s oiled incitement machine that harms the security of the country. For months, I did everything and will continue to do everything so that they can no longer operate from Israel,” he posted on X.