Israel's far-right advances bill to shutter state news service amid fears over press freedom

Lawmakers in Israel on Sunday voted to advance legislation that would close the news division of Israel's public broadcaster as the ruling far-right coalition cracks down on press freedoms.

The bill, proposed by Likud MK Galit Distel Atbaryan, would shutter Kan's news service as well as its Arabic-language channel Makan.

It would also privatise the public Reshet Bet radio network.

The legislation is backed by the hard-right communications minister, Shlomo Karhi, who has accused Israeli media of being biased to the left and vowed to scrap the public broadcaster.

The bill is part of a broader push by the Israeli far-right to consolidate control over the country's media. Another piece of legislation would see more advertising funds directed to Channel 14, a far-right TV channel that has been accused of inciting war crimes against Palestinians.

Kan has accused the ruling coalition of "terrorising" its news division and staff members and says it is working on behalf of private interests looking to acquire publicly-owned radio frequencies.

The attorney-general's office has opposed the move to shutter the broadcaster, saying that it creates "significant constitutional problems" and violates press freedoms.

"The bill is expected to fundamentally disrupt the media landscape in Israel, eliminating the 'public voice' – a central and unique one that offers citizens news and current affairs content free from commercial and political bias," the deputy attorney general for public and constitutional law wrote in a paper.

This comes as Haaretz comes under increasing attack from the far-right over its coverage of Israel's conduct in Gaza.

The liberal newspaper last week published an investigation exposing alleged war crimes committed by the military in the Palestinian territory.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his defence minister Israel Katz accused it of committing a "blood libel" by printing the story, which featured testimony by Israeli soldiers who said they were ordered to kill unarmed civilians.

The mayor of Arad in southern Israel on Friday said he would ban its sale in the town.

The government in November imposed economic sanctions on the outlet, including banning state agencies from communicating with its journalists or buying advertising space in its pages.