Prevention of Harm to State Security by a Foreign Broadcasting Entity (Temporary Provision) Bill

What does the bill do?

Under the Prevention of Harm to State Security by a Foreign Broadcaster (Temporary Provision) Law, 5786-2025, which was enacted as a temporary provision that will remain in force until 1 Tevet 5788 (December 31, 2027), it was provided that the Minister of Communications may, with the consent of the Prime Minister and with the approval of the government or the Ministerial Committee on National Security Affairs, order measures to restrict the broadcasts and activity of a foreign channel. This decision will be made if the Prime Minister is convinced, on the basis of a professional opinion from one or more of the security bodies – the Israel Defense Forces, the Israel Security Agency, the Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations (Mossad) or the Israel Police – that the channel's content substantially harms state security. The measures that may be applied include stopping the channel's broadcasts, closing its offices in Israeli territory, seizing equipment used to deliver the channel's content, and removing the channel's website or restricting access to it. In addition, the Minister of Communications was empowered to order bodies whose main activity is distributing user content on the internet to restrict access to the foreign channel's broadcast in real time and on a continuous basis. The government or the ministerial committee were empowered to instruct the Minister of Defense to carry out technological actions to prevent direct reception of the channel's broadcasts by satellite in Israeli territory and in the Judea and Samaria Area, provided that the broadcasts of another channel are not prevented. Regarding the power to seize equipment, it was clarified that equipment whose main purpose is personal use will not be seized, and an explicit prohibition was set on hacking into end devices (such as a cell phone), a computer or computer material that were seized. The Minister of Communications' order will be given for a period not exceeding 90 days, with the possibility of extending it for additional periods of up to 90 days each time, subject to the conditions being met and the required opinions being presented. Every order given, and in particular a decision to extend it, will be brought for judicial review before the president of a district court or their deputy as soon as possible, and no later than 24 hours from the time it takes effect. The court will consider the order within three days of its taking effect, and will decide whether to change it or to limit its period of validity.