Israel’s communications minister, Shloma Karhi, stated that the proposal to shut down Al Jazeera had already been reviewed by Israeli security officials and was currently under examination by legal experts. He further mentioned his plans to present it to the cabinet later in the day.
Karhi asserted, “This is a station that incites, this is a station that films troops in assembly areas (outside Gaza) … that incites against the citizens of Israel – a propaganda mouthpiece.” He expressed his hope for a resolution, though it remained unclear whether he referred to a cabinet discussion or the actual closure implementation.
Al Jazeera and the government in Doha did not immediately respond to these developments.
Israel’s communications minister announced his intention on Sunday to explore the closure of Al Jazeera’s local bureau, citing allegations of pro-Hamas incitement and the potential exposure of Israeli soldiers to attacks from Gaza.