A six-member committee, consisting of three Government officials and three newspaper editors, was formed here today to study for a month the Government’s ban on publication of news about immigration unless such news is issued officially by the Government.
The committee was named after a meeting between newspaper editors and Prime Minister David Ben Gurion. Most of the editors came to the meeting firmly opposed to the immigration news blackout announced by the Government last week. However, after listening to the Premier, they agreed to give a trial to the implementation of the new rule.
Representing the government on the six-man committee are one government official who will act as secretary of the committee, the chief of Army intelligence, and the government’s chief censor. The committee is to resume discussion of the ban after a month’s study.
Meanwhile, the Israel Government has issued a new order for the appointment of a military censor to implement its ban on publication of immigration news. The military censor can prevent, in advance, publication of news, including items on which the government might not be able to make a court case for punishment.
The right-wing Herut today submitted to Knesset a bill to abolish the government’s right to use the State Secrets Law to ban immigration news. The measure is expected to come up for a vote this week, with slight chance for approval.
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