The Israeli government has decided to impose sanctions on Haaretz, one of the country’s most established and third most widely read newspapers.
All institutions funded by the state are no longer allowed to communicate with or advertise in the newspaper. This decision comes as a reaction to articles that the government believes ‘damaged the legitimacy and right of defence of the State of Israel’.
In particular, criticism has been levelled at statements made by the publisher of Haaretz, Amos Schocken, during a conference in London last month.
Mr Schocken accused the government of pursuing apartheid policies and described Palestinians as ‘freedom fighters’. After strong reactions, he clarified that his statement did not apply to Hamas or other terrorist groups.
Haaretz, known for its left-liberal profile, has sharply criticised the Netanyahu administration during the Gaza conflict.
The newspaper responded to the sanctions by calling them ‘a further step in Netanyahu’s dismantling of Israeli democracy’.
