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NETANYAHU GOVERNMENT BAN ON HAARETZ IS UNLAWFUL, ATTORNEY GENERAL
TELLS ISRAEL’S TOP COURT  
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Chen Maanit
January 27, 2026
Haaretz
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_ The attorney general wrote that the directives must be rescinded,
adding that the government's instructions 'do not exist in a vacuum,'
but part of a 'series of governmental moves aimed at curtailing
criticism that does not find favor with the author _

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara in Tel Aviv this month., Tomer
Appelbaum

 

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara informed Israel's High Court of
Justice on Tuesday that the order directing government ministries to
cease all contact with Haaretz is unlawful.

Responding to petitions filed by the Haaretz Group and the Union of
Journalists in Israel, the attorney general wrote that the directives
must be rescinded. She added that even the Netanyahu government's
"declarative" decision on the matter raises serious legal concerns.

The response further stated that the government's decision to halt
advertising,
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and the instructions issued by ministry directors general to stop
placing ads and cancel subscriptions, "do not exist in a vacuum."

Taken as a whole, she wrote, the picture points to "a series of
governmental moves, in different contexts, aimed at curtailing
criticism or broadcast content that does not find favor with the
authorities."

Alongside the ban on Haaretz, Baharav-Miara cited the government's
decision to close the Army Radio station
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and efforts to shutter the news division of Israel's public
broadcaster Kan.

ARMY RADIO STATION OFFICES IN JAFFA, EARLIER THIS MONTH. Credit: Moti
Milrod

"The common thread linking these actions," she added, "is the
weakening of media outlets the government views as overly critical of
its conduct."

The attorney general clarified that the decisions by ministry
directors general "were made in a manner inconsistent with the law,
including violations of procurement rules, the accountant general's
directives and principles of administrative law."

She noted that the decision failed to consider that terminating
subscriptions contradicts an existing contract in force until 2027.
Baharav-Miara added that the "considerations underlying the
instructions to refrain from advertising in the newspaper are
unrelated to the nature of the contractual engagement, do not align
with principles of efficiency and equality, and may infringe on
freedom of expression."

Haaretz appealed to the High Court earlier this month against the
cabinet decision taken last November to cease all government contact
with the Haaretz Group
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including government advertising and announcements.

_THE HAARETZ BUILDING. Credit: Tomer Applebaum_

The petition said the boycott was illegal and carried out
unreasonably, abusing government power and violating the rules of
natural justice, with the aim of silencing and weakening the press and
a media outlet that dares to criticize the government's conduct.

Israel's government filed an affidavit in the High Court
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in response to the petition claiming that Haaretz works against the
country and therefore the state was under no legal or public
obligation to support it financially.

Signed by Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs, the affidavit asserted that
Haaretz "has expressed support for the enemy in time of war, harms the
soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces and the war effort, calls for
refusal [to serve in the army], accuses the IDF of genocide, defames
the state, defames the Zionist enterprise as a whole, calls for the
imposition of international sanctions against the state and its
elected officials, supports the International Criminal Court in The
Hague, and damages the image and standing of the State of Israel in
the world."

The affidavit also said "the Haaretz newspaper and the articles it
published in it, including in English, are used by many of those who
hate Israel and antisemites on a daily basis."

_Founded in 1919, HAARETZ is Israel's oldest daily newspaper and one
of its most influential media outlets. Known for its commitment to
high-quality journalism, Haaretz has built a reputation for in-depth
reporting, insightful analysis, and a liberal and progressive
editorial stance on domestic issues and international affairs._

_Our commitment to staunchly independent journalism has made us an
essential source for those seeking a deeper understanding of the
complexities of Israeli society, the Jewish world, the Palestinian
territories and the broader Middle East._

_In 1997, we launched an English-language edition to cater to growing
international interest in Israel and the region._

_Visit haareetz.com to sign up for digital subscriptions directly._

* Benjamin Netanyahu
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* Israel
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* Haaretz
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* Israeli High Court
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* news
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* freedom of expression
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