Censorship in Israel

Laws on censorship in Israel are based on British emergency regulations from 1945 that apply to domestic media , foreign newspapers and wire service transmissions from or through Israel . The Israeli Film Ratings board rates, limits or bans films deemed obscene, racist, or containing incitement to violence. Only a handful of films or plays have been banned outright (plays have not been censored since 1989). News censorship is the responsibility of the Israeli Military Censor . Regulations do not require all articles to be submitted for censorship prior to publication, but only those on a known list of sensitive subjects, such as nuclear weapons in Israel (for example, articles on the subjects of politics or economics may be published un-submitted). Failing to do so may cause the reporter to be cut off or, in the case of foreign reporters, be barred from the country. The list of sensitive subjects, articles on which have to be submitted to censorship prior to publication, is determined within the framework of a censorship agreement between Israeli authorities and the 'Editor's Committee', which is a body of representatives from the Israeli media. "There will be no censorship on political issues, on expressions of opinion or assessments, unless they hint on classified information." Reporters Without Borders 2007 report on Israel states: "The country's journalists enjoy a freedom not found elsewhere in the region, but though 2006 was one of the safest years for them since the start of the second Intifada in 2000, many problems remain", mainly referring to the physical risks endured by reporters covering the conflict areas between Israel, the Palestinians and the Hizbullah in Lebanon . The Israeli Military Censor has the power to prevent publication of certain news items. The censorship rules largely concern military issues such as not reporting if a missile hit or missed its target, troop movements, etc. but it is also empowered to control information about the oil industry and water supply. Journalists who bypass the military censor or publish items that were censored may be subject to criminal prosecution and jail time; the censor also has the authority to close newspapers. However, these extreme measures have been rarely used. One notable instance where a newspaper was closed temporarily was in the case of the Kav 300 affair where it was eventually discovered that the censor was used by the Shin Bet to cover up internal wrongdoings in the agency and led to one of the biggest public scandals in Israel during the 1980s. Following the incident the two main papers, HaAretz and Yediot Ahronot stopped participating in the "Editor's committee". In 1996 a new agreement was reached and the editor's committee resumed operation. The new agreement allowed military censorship only of articles clearly harmful to national security and allowed the supreme court to override military decisions. Israeli laws outlaws hate speech and "expressing support for illegal or terrorist organizations". Section 173 of the legal code makes it a crime to publish any "publication that is liable to crudely offend the religious faith or sentiment of others." Mordechai Vanunu who served 18 years in prison for treason and espionage was released in 2004, but is still under restrictions on speech and movement. A BBC reporter was barred from the country after publishing an interview with him without handing it over to the censors first. Every journalist working within Israel is required to be accredited by the Israeli Government Press Office. Most applications are just formal, but the office is allowed to deny applications based on political or security considerations. One very commonly used way for Israeli media to circumvent censorship rules is to leak items to foreign news sources, which by virtue of being located outside of Israel are not subject to Israeli censorship. Once published, the Israeli media can simply quote the story. In 1960 two science fiction stories were published that circumvented censorship. The first was about Rudolf Teichmann and told the story of Eichmann's kidnapping . Uri Avnery 's HaOlam HaZeh magazine published a story about the Lavon Affair . In addition to media censorship, Israeli cinemas are subject to regulation regarding the exhibition of pornography and television stations face restrictions on early broadcasting of programs that are unsuitable for children. Israel has banned the use of the word Nakba in Israeli Arab schools and textbooks . Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu justified the ban by saying that the term was "propaganda against Israel". The death of Ben Zygier in 2010, an Australian-Israeli citizen who was allegedly recruited by Mossad , was censored until Australian news media broke the story in early 2013. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices . Mideast Security and Policy Studies . Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies . "Israel bans "catastrophe" term from Arab schools" .

Laws on censorship in Israel are based on British emergency regulations from 1945 that apply to domestic media , foreign newspapers and wire service transmissions from or through Israel . The Israeli Film Ratings board rates, limits, and bans films deemed obscene, racist, or containing incitement to violence. Only a handful of films or plays have been banned outright (plays have not been censored since 1989). Censorship with regard to security and military issues is in the responsibility of the Israeli Military Censor . Regulations do not require all articles to be submitted for censorship prior to publication, but only those on a known list of sensitive subjects, such as nuclear weapons in Israel (for example, articles on the subjects of politics or economics may be published without review by the censor). Failing to do so may cause the reporter to be cut off or, in the case of foreign reporters, be barred from the country. The list of sensitive subjects, articles on which have to be submitted to censorship prior to publication, is determined within the framework of a censorship agreement between Israeli authorities and the "Editor's Committee", which is a body of representatives from the Israeli media. "There will be no censorship on political issues, on expressions of opinion or assessments, unless they hint on classified information." Before the Oslo Accords and subsequent 1994 Israeli withdrawal, Israeli police and government controlled much of the Palestinian territories, and with this, Israel censored the books and information Palestinians can read and output. By 1991, some 10,000 books had been banned, fax machines had been banned, and a number of phone lines had been cut. In addition, publications of anything with content considered "political significance" in the West Bank , Palestinian territory, had been prohibited, and Arab publications had been be "completely stopped" . Following the withdrawal, the government of Israel has no enforcement in non-Israeli controlled areas of Palestine. Reporters Without Borders 2007 report on Israel states: "The country's journalists enjoy a freedom not found elsewhere in the region, but though 2006 was one of the safest years for them since the start of the second Intifada in 2000, many problems remain", mainly referring to the physical risks endured by reporters covering the conflict areas between Israel, the Palestinians and the Hizbullah in Lebanon . The Israeli Military Censor has the power to prevent publication of certain news items. The censorship rules largely concern military issues such as not reporting if a missile hit or missed its target, troop movements, etc. but it is also empowered to control information about the oil industry and water supply. Journalists who bypass the military censor or publish items that were censored may be subject to criminal prosecution and jail time; the censor also has the authority to close newspapers. However, these extreme measures have been rarely used. One notable instance where a newspaper was closed temporarily was in the case of the Kav 300 affair where it was eventually discovered that the censor was used by the Shin Bet to cover up internal wrongdoings in the agency and led to one of the biggest public scandals in Israel during the 1980s. Following the incident the two main papers, HaAretz and Yediot Ahronot stopped participating in the Editor's Committee. In 1996 a new agreement was reached and the Editor's Committee resumed operation. The new agreement allowed military censorship only of articles clearly harmful to national security and allowed the supreme court to override military decisions. Israeli laws outlaws hate speech and "expressing support for illegal or terrorist organizations". Section 173 of the legal code makes it a crime to publish any "publication that is liable to crudely offend the religious faith or sentiment of others." Every journalist working within Israel is required to be accredited by the Israeli Government Press Office . Most applications are simply a formality, though the office is allowed to deny applications based on political or security considerations. One very commonly used way for Israeli media to circumvent censorship rules is to leak items to foreign news sources, which by virtue of being located outside of Israel are not subject to Israeli censorship. Once published, the Israeli media can simply quote the story. In addition to media censorship, Israeli cinemas are subject to regulation regarding the exhibition of pornography and television stations face restrictions on early broadcasting of programs that are unsuitable for children. Following the 2017 Qatar diplomatic crisis Israel took steps to ban Qatar-based Al Jazeera by closing its Jerusalem office, revoking press cards, and asking cable and satellite broadcasters not to broadcast al-Jazeera. Defence minister Avigdor Lieberman had described some of al-Jazeera reports as "Nazi Germany–style" propaganda. It was not clear if the measures covered Al Jazeera English , considered less strident. According to information provided by the military censor in response to a Freedom of Information request, in 2017 the censor banned the publication of 271 articles outright, and fully or partially redacted 21% of the articles submitted to it. The Guardian: BBC says sorry to Israel" The Censorship Agreement D'Souza, Frances (1991). Country Reports on Human Rights Practices . Mideast Security and Policy Studies . Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies .

Practices that censor information flow Censorship in Israel is officially carried out by the Israeli Military Censor , a unit in the Israeli government officially tasked with carrying out preventive censorship regarding the publication of information that might affect the security of Israel. The body is headed by the Israeli Chief Censor, a military official appointed by Israel's Minister of Defense , who bestows upon the Chief Censor the authority to suppress information he deems compromising from being made public in the media, such as Israel's nuclear weapons program and Israel's military operations outside its borders. On average, 2240 press articles in Israel are censored by the Israeli Military Censor each year, approximately 240 of which in full, and around 2000 partially. Articles concerning potentially controversial topics must be submitted to the Israeli Military Censor in advance; failing to do so may cause the reporter to lose his right to work as a journalist in Israel and, in the case of foreign reporters, to be barred from the country. Mideast Security and Policy Studies . Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies . "נתונים חדשים חושפים טפח מאחורי הקלעים של יחסי הצנזורה הצבאית והעיתונות הישראלית" . העין השביעית (in Hebrew) . "BBC says sorry to Israel" . the Guardian . "IDF censor redacted two thousand news items in 2019" . +972 Magazine .

Censorship in Israel is officially carried out by the Israeli Military Censor , a unit in the Israeli government officially tasked with carrying out preventive censorship regarding the publication of information that might affect the security of Israel. The body is headed by the Israeli Chief Censor, a military official appointed by Israel's Minister of Defense , who bestows upon the Chief Censor the authority to suppress information he deems compromising from being made public in the media, such as Israel's nuclear weapons program and Israel's military operations outside its borders. On average, 2240 press articles in Israel are censored by the Israeli Military Censor each year, approximately 240 of which in full, and around 2000 partially. Articles concerning potentially controversial topics must be submitted to the Israeli Military Censor in advance; failing to do so may cause the reporter to lose his right to work as a journalist in Israel and, in the case of foreign reporters, to be barred from the country. Mideast Security and Policy Studies . Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies . "נתונים חדשים חושפים טפח מאחורי הקלעים של יחסי הצנזורה הצבאית והעיתונות הישראלית" . העין השביעית (in Hebrew). 16 June 2021 . The New York Times . "BBC says sorry to Israel" . the Guardian . "IDF censor redacted two thousand news items in 2019" . +972 Magazine .