"and block its websites." So this keeps Israelis from reading Al Jazeera.
Now that's new. Israel started Internet censorship in 2017.[1] Initially it was limited to "terror group websites, online illegal gambling, prostitution services, hard drug sales". At the time, "due to warnings from rights groups that the law poses a slippery slope toward additional censorship, the final version of the legislation dictates that rights groups may appeal the decisions."
Then, in 2021, there was the "Facebook bill", authorizing very broad censorship.[2] That does not seem to have passed. It was first proposed in 2016, almost passed in 2018 [3], tried in 2021, and tried again in 2022. It doesn't seem to have passed.
But something new happened recently. Wikipedia has a note at Censorship in Israel: "This article needs to be updated. The reason given is: New ban issued by the knesset on foreign media channels. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (April 2024)"[4]
The Knesset gave the government the authority to ban foreign media on April 1, 2024.[5]
This isn't just about preventing outside media from reporting from Israel. It keeps Israelis from viewing media the government doesn't like. Haarez has good coverage.[6]
The US White House press secretary issued a weak statement condemning Israel's action, but it was on April 1st and the costumed Easter Bunny overshadowed that statement.[7]
[1] https://www.timesofisrael.com/to-tackle-online-crime-israel-...
[2] https://www.timesofisrael.com/proposed-censorship-bill-more-...
[3] https://www.timesofisrael.com/how-israel-nearly-destroyed-fr...
[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_in_Israel
[5] https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/israels-knesset-approve...
[6] https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-05-05/ty-article/is...
[7] https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/202...
Now that's new. Israel started Internet censorship in 2017.[1] Initially it was limited to "terror group websites, online illegal gambling, prostitution services, hard drug sales". At the time, "due to warnings from rights groups that the law poses a slippery slope toward additional censorship, the final version of the legislation dictates that rights groups may appeal the decisions."
Then, in 2021, there was the "Facebook bill", authorizing very broad censorship.[2] That does not seem to have passed. It was first proposed in 2016, almost passed in 2018 [3], tried in 2021, and tried again in 2022. It doesn't seem to have passed.
But something new happened recently. Wikipedia has a note at Censorship in Israel: "This article needs to be updated. The reason given is: New ban issued by the knesset on foreign media channels. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (April 2024)"[4] The Knesset gave the government the authority to ban foreign media on April 1, 2024.[5]
This isn't just about preventing outside media from reporting from Israel. It keeps Israelis from viewing media the government doesn't like. Haarez has good coverage.[6]
The US White House press secretary issued a weak statement condemning Israel's action, but it was on April 1st and the costumed Easter Bunny overshadowed that statement.[7]
[1] https://www.timesofisrael.com/to-tackle-online-crime-israel-...
[2] https://www.timesofisrael.com/proposed-censorship-bill-more-...
[3] https://www.timesofisrael.com/how-israel-nearly-destroyed-fr...
[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_in_Israel
[5] https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/israels-knesset-approve...
[6] https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-05-05/ty-article/is...
[7] https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/202...