The Knesset on Monday night passed in first reading a bill that would make permanent a temporary order banning Qatari network Al Jazeera ‘s operations in Israel.

The temporary order, “Preventing a Foreign Broadcasting Organization from Harming State Security (Temporary Provision‒Swords of Iron),” was extended for six months in May and is set to expire on Nov. 30.

According to the explanatory section of the current bill, which was proposed by Knesset member Ariel Kallner of the Likud Party:

“Due to the need to preserve the powers and tools required to deal with foreign channels whose broadcast content seriously harms national security, even unconnected from the ‘Swords of Iron War,’ it is proposed to determine that the temporary order will become a standing order and its validity wil

See Full Page