What does government boycott of Haaretz mean for press freedom in Israel?
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet approves proposal to sanction the country’s oldest newspaper.
Israel’s cabinet has approved a proposal to cut all government links with Haaretz – a move that could cripple the 105-year-old newspaper financially and force it to shut down.
Haaretz has condemned the action, describing it as “another step in [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu’s journey to dismantle Israeli democracy”.
Can a free news media survive in Israel?
And can Israel’s Western allies pressure it to respect the democratic values they say they stand for?
Presenter: Tom McRae
Guests:
Akiva Eldar – former Haaretz editorial board member
Tim Dawson – deputy secretary-general of the International Federation of Journalists
Dan Perry – former chairman of the Foreign Press Association of Israel