
Far-right Israeli minister calls for the arrest of anyone watching Al Jazeera
Speaking in a brief televised statement, carried live by Al Jazeera Arabic and Al Jazeera Mubasher, Ben-Gvir also urged police to take action against individuals found watching the channel inside the country.
His remarks come weeks after Israel formally banned Al Jazeera's journalists and staff from operating within its borders in early May 2024.
The Palestinian Authority imposed a similar ban months earlier, in January, effectively blocking the network's coverage from the occupied West Bank.
Far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir (AFP)

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Al Etihad
2 hours ago
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Arabian Post
2 hours ago
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Israel was beginning to emerge from a prolonged era of covert diplomacy, carving out a new regional foothold through the Abraham Accords and enjoying an unprecedented wave of Arab diplomatic engagement. But Netanyahu's persistence in prosecuting a war with diminishing returns has jeopardized that progress. Many of Israel's allies are starting to speak up against Bibi, and are getting increasingly uncomfortable in being publicly associated with his government. Power as an End, not a Means: Netanyahu could have left behind a legacy of economic prowess and geopolitical pragmatism. Instead, it is now marked by democratic backsliding and institutional sabotage. His judicial overhaul effort aimed at neutering Israel's Supreme Court ignited one of the largest civil resistance movements in the country's history. Reservists refused duty, former Mossad and Shin Bet chiefs condemned the plan, and economists warned of irreversible investor flight. 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ADVERTISEMENT What followed was not just war, but the tightening of his political grip—vilifying opponents, rallying far-right allies, and portraying himself as indispensable. He brought fringe figures like Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich into mainstream power, sacrificing societal cohesion for coalition arithmetic. Israeli democracy, long admired for its vitality even amid war, now teeters as Netanyahu aligns with messianic ultranationalists who reject pluralism and inflame racial tensions. And while Israel burns internally, the consequences are global. Jews around the world are being judged for the decisions of a government many did not elect and even more do not endorse. The reputational damage Netanyahu has inflicted on Jewish communities globally is immeasurable. Political scientists Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt warned in How Democracies Die that it is often elected leaders, not generals, who destroy democracies by gradually dismantling institutions and norms to advance their own political agendas. Netanyahu has followed this script faithfully: inciting against judges, delegitimizing Israel's Arab citizens, tolerating/promoting violence from settlers, and branding dissenters as traitors. Israel once prided itself on institutional strength amid constant external threat. But Netanyahu's reign has hollowed out that pride. His obsession with avoiding prosecution has taken precedence over national interests, and his consolidation of power resembles more an autocrat than a statesman. A Nation Larger Than One Man: To his credit, Netanyahu does have tangible accomplishments. He globalized Israel's economy, opened diplomatic doors, and projected strength on the world stage. But a true leader knows when to step aside. 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Middle East Eye
4 hours ago
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