RSF Condemns Israel Government’s Attacks on Media Independence

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) issued an urgent appeal against the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, characterizing it as “openly targeting media independence and pluralism” in Israel. The statement criticizes several alarming measures proposed or enacted by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi and his cabinet, illustrating a concerted effort to curb critical voices within Israel’s media landscape.

A major flashpoint included a government‑mandated boycott of Haaretz, Israel’s oldest and most respected left‑leaning newspaper. Officials were directed to cease all advertising, subscriptions, and any interaction with Haaretz for its persistent critical coverage of the government and military, particularly during the Israel‑Hamas war. RSF emphasized that this was more than fiscal retaliation—it was a strategic attempt to dismantle press pluralism and chill dissenting editorial voices.

RSF also spotlighted intensified censorship enforced through Israel’s military censor office, which banned 1,635 articles outright and redacted another 6,265 in 2024 alone, averaging over 21 interventions per day, double the intensity seen during the last Gaza war. This heightened intervention not only suppresses public awareness but also erases any trace of censorship from the record, violating fundamentals of transparency.

More broadly, RSF condemned a recent wave of legislative proposals empowering the government to shutter foreign news outlets—such as Al Jazeera and AFP—by branding them national security threats. This, along with budget slashes for public broadcasters and tightened licensing procedures, forms part of a sweeping “legislative offensive” meant to consolidate a pro‑government media narrative.

RSF’s director-general Thibaut Bruttin framed these efforts as “a shocking assault” on independent media, calling on Israel’s authorities to reverse all restrictive measures and uphold the plurality essential to a healthy democracy. The statement underscores that democracy hinges on a media capable of independently scrutinizing power, even during wartime.