Israel extends Al Jazeera ban for another 90 days, network says
Al Jazeera Media Network says Israeli authorities have extended a ban on its operations in Israel for another 90 days. The move covers the suspension of its broadcasts, the closure of its offices and restrictions on access to its websites and digital platforms. The network said the decision amounts to an assault on press freedom and the public's right to information.
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According to the network, a court in Tel Aviv approved the extension last week after the Israeli government decided to prolong the ban. In a statement on Monday, Al Jazeera said it categorically rejected the allegations used to justify the measure. It also said the extension was based on secret material that neither the network nor its lawyers were allowed to see or answer.
The ban is the latest step in a dispute that began in May 2024, when Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet voted to shut Al Jazeera's operations in Israel. That decision followed a law passed by the Israeli parliament allowing the temporary closure of foreign broadcasters deemed a threat to national security. The network said the latest extension creates a dangerous pattern that undermines the ability of news organisations to report facts and hold those in power to account.
The case has wider significance because it sits at the intersection of national security powers and press freedom. Al Jazeera is a major international broadcaster based in Qatar, and restrictions on its work in Israel affect both its ability to gather news and the public's access to its reporting. The dispute has also drawn attention from press freedom advocates since the original shutdown order was announced.
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The network said the action follows earlier steps taken against it in the region. In September 2024, Israeli forces stormed its offices in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, confiscating equipment and documents and closing the office. The network also said it has been targeted by Israel for years, including threats against its Jerusalem office in 2017 and the destruction of a building housing its Gaza office in 2021.
What remains unclear is how long the restrictions may continue and whether the network will have any further legal avenue to challenge them. The court's approval last week suggests the ban has formal backing for now, but the network says it was denied a genuine opportunity to defend itself. The next development to watch is whether Israeli authorities issue any further extension or whether the legal challenge changes the status of the ban.
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