'A mouthpiece for Israel's enemies': Israeli minister wants action against Haaretz newspaper

The Israeli communications minister has proposed action against Haaretz newspaper, days after the Hebrew and English daily reported that an Israeli military helicopter opened fire at festival-goers during the Hamas attack on the Nova music festival on October 7.

Shlomo Karhi in a statement said on Thursday that he proposed to the government to cease publishing government advertisements and notices and cancel all state employee Haaretz subscriptions – including those by members of the army, police, the prison service, government ministries and government companies.

Karhi said the newspaper "adopts an offensive line that undermines the goals of the war and weakens our military effort and social resilience."

"Stopping the purchase of services from Haaretz by government agencies will reduce the severe damage felt by Israeli citizens not only from the publications in the newspaper, but also from the fact that they are forced to pay for it with tax money," he said.

The Israeli minister called the newspaper "a mouthpiece for Israel's enemies."

He accused Haaretz of making "propaganda in the service of the enemy, presenting our enemies' narrative, spreading lies, using terms opposed to Zionism and hostile to Israel, and justifying the enemy."

Haaretz publisher Amos Schocken responded to Karhi's proposal, saying: "If the government wants to close Haaretz, that's the time to read Haaretz," according to its website.