Despite the fact that Israel’s Attorney General approved a vote to take place, the Diplomatic-Security Cabinet did not vote Thursday night on whether to close Al Jazeera’s offices in Israel.
Per Kan News, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara did approve of holding the vote, despite previously working to delay the process.
Prime Minister Netanyahu had said earlier on Thursday night that he intended to bring the matter for a vote. The vote could end Al Jazeera’s broadcasts in Arabic and English through Israeli content providers, close the channel’s offices, and block access to Al Jazeera’s websites.
In February the bill to shutter Al Jazeera was passed, after reporting came to light that one of the channel’s “journalists” was a Hamas commander. According to the bill, if the prime minister is convinced that a foreign news station is harming the country, the Minister of Communications, after receiving at least one security opinion and with the approval of the government or the cabinet, can take action against a foreign channel that acts against the country.
According to Baharav-Miara, the main legal obstacle was that Al Jazeera had not been given a hearing before the orders were signed. However she also said that there is no legal obstacle to signing the orders even without holding a hearing.
{Matzav.com}
