Israeli gov’t severs ties with left-leaning newspaper Haaretz over ‘freedom fighters’ remarks
Israeli government voteds to sever all ties with the left-leaning Haaretz daily on Nov. 24, 2024. (AA Photo)
The Israeli government voted on Sunday to sever all ties with the left-leaning newspaper Haaretz following remarks made by its publisher, Amos Schocken, in which he referred to Hamas members as “freedom fighters.”
The move, announced by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi’s office, stems from concerns over the newspaper’s editorial stance, which officials claim has undermined Israel’s legitimacy and its right to self-defense on the global stage.
The government’s decision specifically responds to Schocken’s recent comments at a London conference, where he criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government for imposing “a cruel apartheid regime” over Palestinians and advocated for sanctions against Israel’s leaders and settlers.
While affirming its support for press freedom, the government emphasized it would not tolerate calls for sanctions or support for enemies of the state during wartime.
As part of the resolution, Israeli ministries and government-funded organizations were instructed to cease all advertising with Haaretz and avoid further contact with the newspaper.
Although Haaretz later distanced itself from Schocken’s remarks, publishing an editorial that condemned terrorism, tensions remain high over the paper’s critical stance toward Israel’s policies.
The editorial stated, “Any organization that advocates the murder of women, children, and the elderly is a terrorist organization, and its members are terrorists. They certainly aren’t ‘freedom fighters.’”
