Israel's Media Clampdown: A Blow to Press Freedom

Israel's Media Clampdown - Haaretz Faces Government Boycott

“We deplore the Israeli government's attempt to silence a respected Israeli outlet like Haaretz by hurting their advertising and subscription revenue.”

Israel's government has voted to boycott Haaretz, the country's oldest newspaper, in a move seen as an attempt to silence critical voices and undermine press freedom.

Israel's far-right Cabinet made a unanimous decision on Sunday, November 24, to impose sanctions on Haaretz, the country's oldest newspaper. This move was initiated by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi from the Likud party, reportedly in response to Haaretz's critical coverage of the Israel-Hamas war. Additionally, Haaretz publisher Amos Schocken's suggestion to impose sanctions on senior government officials for violating international law likely contributed to this decision.

The proposed sanctions include ending government advertising in Haaretz and implementing a contact boycott. Furthermore, the plan calls for canceling all subscriptions to the left-liberal newspaper for state employees and employees of state-owned companies. This move has sparked concerns about press freedom and the government's attempts to silence critical voices.

Israel has a complex history of far-right politics, with various groups and parties emerging over the years. The Kach party, founded by Meir Kahane in 1971, is one example of a far-right Orthodox Jewish party that advocated for the transfer of the Arab population from Israel and the creation of a Jewish theocratic state. Although Kach was barred from the 1988 elections and later designated as a terror organization, its ideology continues to influence some segments of Israeli society.

Haaretz, a renowned international publication printing in both Hebrew and English, condemned the Israeli government's decision to boycott them. In a statement, Haaretz declared the boycott as “another step in Netanyahu's journey to dismantle Israeli democracy.” This move is seen as an attempt to silence a critical, independent newspaper, drawing comparisons to the actions of authoritarian leaders like Putin, Erdogan, and Orban.

Noa Landau, Haaretz's deputy editor-in-chief, took to social media platform X to express her defiance, stating “we will not be deterred.” This stance reflects Haaretz's commitment to press freedom and its determination to continue reporting despite government pressure. The Israeli government's actions have been criticized for aiming to weaken press freedom in Israel.

Widespread Criticism and Solidarity with Haaretz

Criticism of the Israeli government's decision to boycott Haaretz was widespread among Israeli media watchdogs and the journalism community. The move has been condemned as an attempt to undermine press freedom and silence critical voices.

Israeli Journalists' Union Head Slams Government's Move

Anat Saragusti, head of the Israeli Journalists' Union, expressed her concerns about the government's actions, stating: “It's very worrying because they want to destroy the gatekeepers, and the media is the gatekeeper.” Saragusti emphasized the importance of solidarity among journalists, saying: “There is solidarity among all journalists and all media who understand that this is something big.”

Government's Attempts to Restrict Press Freedom

Saragusti also highlighted that this move is part of a broader pattern of attempts to restrict press freedom in Israel. She cited legislation aimed at shutting down Israel's public broadcaster and intimidation campaigns against individual journalists as examples of these efforts.

Nahum Barnea, a prominent commentator in the daily Yedioth Ahronoth, strongly criticized the Israeli government's recent actions against Haaretz newspaper. He wrote, “while dozens of missiles fired by Hezbollah... filled the skies overhead and millions of worried Israelis rushed to take shelter, our government was busy addressing the question that truly preoccupies its ministers: How to financially screw over a media outlet.”

The controversy surrounding Haaretz began when its publisher, Amos Schocken, made remarks criticizing the Netanyahu government for allegedly imposing an “apartheid regime” on the Palestinian population. Israeli Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi responded by calling for a boycott of Haaretz. On X, Karhi wrote, “we won't allow a reality in which a publisher of a newspaper in Israel calls for sanctions against it and supports the State's enemies in the middle of a war and will still be financially supported by the State.”

Karhi also expressed his disdain for Haaretz, saying, “fancy reading the poison that is Haaretz newspaper? Feel free to do so. We'll just stop funding it. Inconceivable for you [Haaretz] huh? Freedom of expression yes, funding for poison against the State and the army? Absolutely not.” The Israeli government's decision to boycott Haaretz has been met with widespread criticism, with many accusing the government of attempting to stifle free speech and silence critical voices.

Haaretz publisher Amos Schocken sparked controversy in October with a speech in London, where he advocated for international sanctions against Israeli leaders. Schocken emphasized the need for a Palestinian state, stating: “A Palestinian state must be established and the only way to achieve this, I think, is to apply sanctions against Israel, against the leaders who oppose it and against the settlers who are in the occupied territories in contravention of international law.”

Schocken's comments were met with criticism, particularly from Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, who proposed a boycott of Haaretz in response. Karhi argued that the publisher of a newspaper cannot call for sanctions against Israel and still receive government funding. The Israeli government ultimately unanimously approved the proposal to cease all government advertising and communications with Haaretz. 

The move has been condemned by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), who view it as an attempt to silence a critical, independent newspaper. CPJ CEO Jodie Ginsberg expressed concerns about the Israeli government's efforts to stifle independent reporting, stating: “We deplore the Israeli government's attempt to silence a respected Israeli outlet like Haaretz by hurting their advertising and subscription revenue.”

Haaretz publisher Amos Schocken's speech sparked intense backlash in Israel, including from his own journalists, after he referred to Palestinians as “freedom fighters.” Schocken later clarified that his comment wasn't meant to endorse Hamas militants.

An editorial in Haaretz criticized Schocken's choice of words, emphasizing that any organization targeting civilians is a terrorist organization, and its members are terrorists – not freedom fighters. Despite Schocken's clarification, Israeli media watchdogs view the government's latest move as an attempt to stifle critical reporting.

The controversy surrounding Schocken's speech and the subsequent backlash highlights the complex and sensitive nature of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It also underscores the challenges faced by journalists and media outlets in Israel as they navigate the delicate balance between free speech and national security concerns

Oren Persico, editor at HaAyin HaShevi'it, highlights the Israeli government's intention to alter the media landscape, particularly with Minister Karhi aiming to shut down the Public Broadcasting Corporation. Persico notes, “In 2023, when the judicial overhaul started, the intention was to change the media landscape simultaneously... Now they are back, there are a few bills right now trying to limit freedom of the press.”

The Israeli public broadcaster, Kan, has been a target since its inception in 2017. Prime Minister Netanyahu and his ministers attempted to reduce Kan's influence from the start. Journalist Amit Segal wrote in a 2016 article for Makor Rishon that Netanyahu would have preferred to prevent Kan's establishment, even if it meant maintaining the old Israeli Broadcast Authority (IBA). Kan has become an integral part of Israel's media landscape, featuring journalists from diverse backgrounds and enjoying high popularity on social media.

The Israeli government's attempts to exert control over the media landscape continue under Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi. In February 2023, TheMarker reported that the Netanyahu government aimed to shut down Kan, the Israeli public broadcaster, due to its resistance to “political pressure.” This move is part of a broader effort to limit press freedom and stifle critical voices.

The Israeli government has also passed laws that enable the closure of media outlets deemed a threat to national security. For instance, the so-called Al Jazeera law led to the shutdown of Al Jazeera's office in Israel in May. The Israeli military later raided and closed Al Jazeera's Ramallah bureau in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The closure orders have been renewed every 60 days since the site was shuttered.

These actions have raised concerns about the erosion of press freedom in Israel. The Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation has vowed to continue its professional journalistic work despite the challenges posed by the government's actions.

Haaretz remains unwavering in its stance, vowing to continue its independent reporting despite the Israeli government's latest initiative to boycott the newspaper. This move is likely to be challenged in Israel's Supreme Court, with analysts arguing that it invites an appeal to the High Court. As Oren Persico noted, “It really invites an appeal to the High Court, as you shouldn't insert political views into these calculations because the objective is to get the message to the public.”

Persico's comments highlight the concerns surrounding the government's decision to boycott Haaretz. The question remains whether the government advertising agency will actually follow through with the boycott, given that it's a political decision. Haaretz has made it clear that it won't back down, stating in response to the government's decision that it “will not balk and will not morph into a government pamphlet that publishes messages approved by the government and its leader.”