Alwaght- News censorship and strict control over publication of reports and information has always been part of the priorities of the security policy of Israel since its foundation in the occupied Palestine in 1948. This policy has been followed even more vehemently in recent years as Tel Aviv got engaged in regional crises, its army and other military and intelligence institution's structural weaknesses were disclosed, and home and foreign criticism targeting the largely hawkish cabinet of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoiled over.
Recently, the Israeli Army Radio, or Galei Tzahal, reported that following an order by the cabinet, the army cut off ties to Haaretz, a newspaper critical of Netanyahu and leaning to opposition. This decision also extend to all ministries, government institutions, and companies that use government budget.
The cabinet said in a statement that it “will not accept a situation in which the publisher of an official newspaper calls for sanctions against Israel and supports other countries in the midst of war.” Officials claim that the newspaper Haaretz has published editorials during the Gaza war that question the legitimacy of the regime.
Haaretz, which is partly aligned with opposition parties, has repeatedly lashed out at the policies of Netanyahu and the Israeli army in Gaza over the past two years. By publishing reports about the widespread presence of Hamas fighters on the streets of Gaza, the newspaper has challenged the Netanyahu government’s claims about destroying the movement and its infrastructure, showing that the cabinet’s declared successes do not match the reality on the ground. Analysts believe the publication of such reports has increased pressure on the government and the army and strengthened public opposition to Netanyahu’s policies.
On the other hand, Defense Minister Yisrael Katz has recently approved the closure of “Israel Army Radio,” stating: “Closing a radio station in Israel is an exceptional matter.” The Netanyahu cabinet has announced that this radio station’s political and current affairs programming poses a fundamental challenge to the army, because, according to them, this media outlet inadvertently drags the army into political disputes and its content harms the armed forces, soldiers, and their cohesion.
Also, as part of the Israeli officials' push for news blackout and decreasing transparency about security and military structures, the military prosecutor's press office has been shut down on the orders of the army's new chief prosecutor.
These moves are coming amid warnings by independent Israeli media and journalists about "an organized attempt to silence the media", adding that by "breaking the mirror of reality" the cabinet is trying to cover up the truth.
Ban on android phones
Perceives extensive security threats looming over it, Tel Aviv has imposed severe restrictions across all informational domains. The army recently placed strict limitations on mobile phones of its senior officers using android operating system due to "concerns related to information security and the risk of being hacked, mandating iPhones.
This action coincides with the cyber group "Handala" announcing in recent weeks that it had hacked the mobile phone of Tzachi Braverman, the chief of staff for Benjamin Netanyahu and ex-PM Naftali Bennett, along with several other individuals close to Netanyahu, and obtained a vast trove of confidential information from these individuals. In recent years, hacking groups affiliated with the resistance groups across the region have penetrated security sections of the Israeli regime, obtaining a significant amount of confidential documents from the occupied territories, which has deeply concerned the Netanyahu government.
Given the Israeli regime's conflicts with resistance groups and Iran, access to the information of high-ranking officials could pose serious security risks. Tel Aviv has resorted to ban of smartphones as a short-term response to these penetrations.
Concerns about Iran's infiltration
Though part of any news censorship has to do with Gaza war, where the army inflicted heavy defeats, after the 12-day war with Iran in June, censorship has been more seriously pursued by the cabinet. Netanyahu and his backers claim they have won wars on all fronts over the past two years, but when the army forces face the realties on the ground, they grow frustrated. Rising suicide rates within the military bears witness to this critical condition and the psychological impacts of the military losses on the forces.
It noteworthy that some Hebrew-language sources recently reported that significant damage and casualties were inflicted on strategic sites in the occupied territories by Iranian missiles during the war with Iran, details which have not been publicly discussed. According to a report by the Israeli regime's Kan network, this issue has been managed within the framework of what Tel Aviv terms a "success narrative."
The aim of this approach is to maintain the morale of citizens and military forces and to prevent the negative impact of battlefield setbacks on the image of the regime's power. The limited release of this information demonstrates the cabinet and security apparatus's effort to control the media narrative and prevent a collapse of internal trust during a critical period.
Additionally, in recent months, dozens of Israeli citizens have been arrested on charges of spying for Iran, which has set off the alarm bells to the government regarding Tehran's infiltration of the regime's security and political layers. Under such sensitive conditions, imposing news censorship and restricting the flow of information serves as a tool for protecting this regime's security and political interests. By controlling the flow of news and information, the government strives to prevent the disclosure of sensitive details and a loss of public trust, thereby maintaining internal cohesion.
Control of Israeli society
On the surface, Netanyahu cabinet is working , by tightening the censorship on media, to prevent data leakage and possible collapse in the army body, but the central issue goes beyond control of news publication and has to do with deep social and security gaps the Israeli regime's home front is grappling with.
Over the past two years, an extensive wave of protests and criticism against Netanyahu’s cabinet have taken shape, putting strains on the government. This has motivated the officials to seek ways to manage the internal crisis and stabilize their power.
The cabinet's aim is to create an environment that, while securitizing the domestic front, enables close surveillance of settlers, political figures, and military officials. By controlling information and restricting access to news and reports, the government is attempting to steer clear of damaging events such as the disclosure of military setbacks or widespread protests.
However, despite all of the censorship initiatives, field realties and social pressures still pose serious threats to the Netanyahu’s cabinet. Free-falling public trust and morale weakness inside the military are issues whose remedy is not just restriction of circulation of information. This situation suggests that the cabinet, using security and media means, seeks to establish a network of control and oversight to make sure it takes minimum impacts from domestic and foreign crises and maintain its and the army's cohesion.
