Israel's Knesset passes bill paving way for ban on Al Jazeera

The Israeli parliament has passed a bill giving top ministers the authority to bar from Israel the broadcasts of news channel Al Jazeera, a step embattled PM Benjamin Netanyahu is poised to take.

This law, which passed by 70 votes to 10 on Monday, carries the authority to ban the broadcast of content from foreign channels but also allows the closing of their offices in Israel.

Netanyahu has vowed to take "immediate action" to shut down Al Jazeera in Israel once the law passes.

Israel had claimed in January that an Al Jazeera staff journalist and a freelancer killed in an air strike in Gaza were "terror operatives".

The following month it said another journalist for the channel, wounded in a separate strike, was a "deputy company commander" with Hamas.

Al Jazeera has fiercely denied the accusations and accused Israel of systematically targeting Al Jazeera employees in Gaza.

The bill permitting officials to stop foreign media deemed to harm national security had already passed its first parliamentary hurdle last month.

Netanyahu's Likud party said he asked "to make sure that the law to close Al Jazeera will be approved this evening" in Israel's parliament, the Knesset.

Al Jazeera's bureau chief in the Palestinian territory, Wael al-Dahdouh, was also wounded, in an Israeli strike in December that killed the network's cameraman

'White House concerned'

The potential ban is a fresh escalation in the running conflict between Israel's government and the Qatari channel during Israel's war on Gaza.

Netanyahu's Likud party said he asked "to make sure that the law to close Al Jazeera will be approved this evening" in Israel's parliament, the Knesset.

The White House said on Monday it was concerned by the Israeli move to ban broadcasts of Qatari news channel in the country.

"I'm going to refer to Israel for what they may or may not be considering," said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

"If it is true, a move like this is concerning."