US expresses ‘concern’ over legislation aimed at shutting down Al Jazeera

The US says it is concerned by the Knesset’s passage of legislation aimed at preventing Al Jazeera from operating in Israel.

“We believe in the freedom of the press. It is critically important. The United States supports the critically important work journalists around the world do, and that includes those who are reporting on the conflict in Gaza. If those reports are true, it is concerning to us,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre says in response to a question on the matter during a press briefing.

The so-called Al Jazeera law, passed earlier today, gives the government temporary powers to prevent foreign news networks from operating in Israel if they are deemed by the security services to be harming national security.

The new law gives the prime minister and the communications minister the authority to order the temporary closure of foreign networks operating in Israel and confiscate their equipment if it is believed that they are “doing actual harm to state security.”

In an earlier statement, Netanyahu’s Likud party said that the prime minister would “act immediately to close Al Jazeera,” in accordance with the terms of the new law.