Israel's Communications Minister, Shlomo Karhi, has put forth a proposal aimed at penalizing Haaretz, the country's long-standing newspaper, for its coverage of the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The minister, representing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party, accused Haaretz of "sabotaging Israel in wartime" and labels it as an "inflammatory mouthpiece for Israel's enemies."
Karhi's proposal, sent to Israel's Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs, alleged that Haaretz has taken an offensive line undermining the war's goals and disparaging the military effort. The minister claims to have received numerous complaints, suggesting that some of the newspaper's publications might even cross criminal standards set for wartime.
The proposed penalties include halting commercial dealings between Haaretz and the Israeli government, a pause on all state-funded advertising to the publication, cancellation of subscriptions for government employees, and blocking any outstanding payments.
Karhi argues that this measure would mitigate the financial burden on Israeli citizens who, he claims, are forced to pay for Haaretz through tax money.
The Israeli journalists' union responded strongly, stating that Karhi's proposal is a populist move lacking feasibility or logic. They accused him of attempting to close down media outlets in the past, with his latest target being Haaretz. The union emphasizes the dedication of journalists working tirelessly to cover the war and condemns the minister's proposal as politically motivated.
Amos Schocken, Haaretz's publisher, defiantly responded to Karhi's proposal, saying, "If the government wants to close Haaretz, that's the time to read Haaretz." This comes amid a backdrop of heightened government actions, including the recent blocking of the Hezbollah-linked Al Mayadeen news channel by Karhi.
While Karhi's request to shut down Qatari news channel Al Jazeera's operations in Israel was not approved, concerns arose about potential setbacks to Qatari-mediated hostage negotiations with Hamas. The situation underscores the delicate balance between government control and press freedom during times of conflict.