Israel indicated today, Monday, that it will refrain from threatening to close Al Jazeera's office, as a government decision regarding media regulations in the emergency situation related to the Gaza war was issued without mentioning the influential Qatari satellite channel. The mini-security cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stated that it allowed actions against the Iranian-backed Lebanese channel Al Mayadeen "for its efforts during the war to harm (Israeli) security interests and serve enemy objectives."
Although Israel and Lebanon have been officially at war for decades and the Lebanese group Hezbollah has joined the Palestinian side in the fighting in Gaza, Al Mayadeen broadcasts reports from within Israeli territory. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Communications noted that Minister Shlomo Karhi is working with the police following the Israeli security cabinet's decision regarding the proposal to block the websites affiliated with Al Mayadeen and confiscate equipment related to the station.
The spokesperson also mentioned that Karhi requested the Israeli military commander in the occupied West Bank to close Al Mayadeen offices there. Al Mayadeen has not issued any comment. In response to a question about why Al Jazeera was not mentioned in the Israeli security cabinet's decision, the spokesperson said, "The security cabinet did not discuss this matter."
One week after Hamas's attack on southern Israel, Karhi stated that he would seek the cabinet's approval to stop the local operations of Al Jazeera. He accused the channel of inciting on behalf of Hamas and endangering Israeli soldiers. Al Jazeera and the government in Doha refrained from responding at that time to these accusations. Since then, Israeli media has reported that unnamed officials from Netanyahu's government believe that the time is not appropriate to take action against Qatar's largest media outlet.
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen stated today that he still supports taking strict measures against Al Jazeera. In response to a question in an interview with Israel's public broadcasting agency (KAN) about whether this is diplomatically possible, he said, "I expressed my opinion and position on this matter."
