By The Jerusalem Post (World News) | Created at 2024-10-31 10:40:04 | Updated at 2024-11-06 09:26:29
5 days ago
In a letter Cohen-Scali condemned Haaretz’s statements, saying they included “extreme, baseless, and false statements, positioning [Haaretz] alongside the central drivers of delegitimization”
By ELIAV BREUER, JERUSALEM POST STAFF OCTOBER 31, 2024 12:23
An illustration of israel daily newspapers, including The Jerusalem Post, Maariv and Haaretz. Taken October 13, 2012
(photo credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)
The Diaspora Affairs Ministry announced that it would end all cooperation with the Haaretz newspaper group following the publication’s recent allegations that Israel enforces an “apartheid regime” over Palestinians.
The Ministry’s Director General, Avi Cohen-Scali, asserted that the ministry, along with the Bedouin Authority, “will suspend all existing agreements” with Haaretz and halt any future partnerships with the organization.
In a letter dated October 1, 2024, Cohen-Scali condemned Haaretz’s statements, saying they included “extreme, baseless, and false statements, positioning [Haaretz] alongside the central drivers of delegitimization” against Israel.
He further noted that Haaretz referred to those involved in violent attacks on Israelis as “freedom fighters,” which he described as “serious and outrageous incitement.”
Zero tolerance
The Diaspora Affairs Ministry, which is responsible for countering the delegitimization of Israel, indicated that this decision reflects a zero-tolerance approach toward entities it believes undermine the nation’s legitimacy.
The ministry’s statement emphasized that no cooperation or publications would occur with organizations that accuse IDF soldiers of “heinous actions,” marking a strong rebuke to what it sees as internal opposition to Israel’s image on the global stage.
This policy, set to take effect immediately, signals a hardline stance by the Diaspora Affairs Ministry on media outlets it considers harmful to Israel’s interests.
