The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel opposed the intention of the head of government to close the branch of the Qatari television channel Al-Jazeera.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry informed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the closure of the Israeli branch of the Al Jazeera television channel would damage the international image of Israel and would lead to accusations of violating the principle of freedom of speech, Haaretz writes citing its sources.

Experts from the Israeli Foreign Ministry believe that such a step will put Israel on a par with Turkey, Cuba and Venezuela.

The head of the government at the moment does not intend to abandon the plan to close the branch of Al-Jazeera in Israel. The TV channel adheres to the anti-Israel position.

Recently it became known that the head of the government press service, Nichan Hyun, decided to deprive Elias Karam, journalist of Al-Jazeera in Jerusalem, of accusations for the words that were said in May last year. "As a Palestinian journalist who finds himself in the occupied territory or in the conflict zone, I believe that journalistic work is an integral part of resistance and practical political and educational activity," Karam said.