Israel's parliament has extended an order allowing the government to shut down foreign broadcasters operating in the country.


The legislation, passed by 22 votes to 10, expands temporary powers introduced during the Gaza war to shutter outlets seen as a threat to national security.


It allows the government for the next two years to cease operations of a foreign outlet even in peace time and without the need for a court order.


Originally dubbed the 'Al Jazeera Law', the powers were used to shut down the Qatari-owned channel's offices and block its broadcasts in May 2024.


Israel accused Al Jazeera - which has been a strong critic of Israel's military campaign in Gaza - of anti-Israel bias and of supporting Hamas in its coverage.


Al Jazeera denied the accusations and condemned Israel's actions, calling it a 'criminal act' and an attack on press freedom.


The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) said last year that the temporary order violated 'freedom of expression, the right to information and freedom of the press'.


The legislation extending the order was passed hours after the Israeli cabinet approved a plan to shut down Army Radio, or Galei Tzahal (GLZ), a state-funded station that is operated by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) but is editorially independent.


Under the plan proposed by Defence Minister Israel Katz, the station will cease operations by 1 March 2026.


Katz argued that Army Radio, which employs both active-duty soldiers and civilians, 'no longer serves as a mouthpiece and ear for soldiers and broadcasts political and divisive content that is not in line with IDF values'.


Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that a station operating under military authority is unusual and likened it to countries like North Korea.


The Union of Journalists has vowed to petition the High Court of Justice against the decision, which they call a severe infringement on freedom of expression.


The Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) warned that shutting Army Radio represents a serious violation of freedom of expression, effectively eliminating half of Israel's independent public radio news broadcasts.


'The decision to shut down a public media organization is part of a broader and worrying pattern of ongoing harm to Israeli democracy,' it cautioned.