JERUSALEM, Nov 25 –– Israel’s government has directed officials and state-funded entities to cease all engagement with Haaretz, the country’s leading left-leaning newspaper, and to stop government advertising on its platforms.
The move, confirmed by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi on Sunday, comes as the publication faces accusations of inciting against the state, according to a report published in The Guardian yesterday.
Karhi’s office announced that his proposal to boycott Haaretz had received unanimous backing from ministers, stating: “We will not allow a reality in which the publisher of an official newspaper in the state of Israel will call for the imposition of sanctions against it and will support the enemies of the state in the midst of a war and will be financed by it.
“We advocate a free press and freedom of expression, but also the freedom of the government to decide not to fund incitement against the state of Israel.”
Haaretz, Israel’s oldest newspaper with a reputation for its investigative journalism, has been an outspoken critic of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his right-wing coalition government.
The newspaper has published multiple reports on alleged abuses by senior officials and the military and has supported calls for a ceasefire to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas.
In response to the boycott, Haaretz issued a scathing statement, accusing Netanyahu of emulating authoritarian leaders: “Like his friends Putin, Erdoğan, and Orbán, Netanyahu is trying to silence a critical, independent newspaper. Haaretz will not balk and will not morph into a government pamphlet that publishes messages approved by the government and its leader.”
The government highlighted remarks made by Haaretz publisher Amos Schocken at a London conference, where he accused the Israeli government of “imposing a cruel apartheid regime on the Palestinian population.”
While Schocken later clarified that his comments did not reference Hamas, Karhi’s office cited them as justification for the boycott.
Haaretz further defended its stance, asserting that it does not condone terrorism.
Critics warn that the boycott reflects a broader trend toward authoritarianism in Israel.
Mairav Zonszein, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, said: “The space for criticism has narrowed significantly, not just by Palestinians but by Jewish Israelis.”
The International Federation of Journalists also raised alarm, viewing the move as part of an effort to stifle press freedom and public access to information.
In May, the Israeli government shut down Al Jazeera’s local offices, citing national security concerns. This prompted similar outcry from media watchdogs, who described the closure as a blow to press freedoms.
The government has not announced any timeline for the implementation of the Haaretz boycott, but its implications for Israel’s media landscape are already drawing international scrutiny.
