Adverse public reaction has delayed the presentation of a bill in the Knesset that would forbid Israeli news media from expressing criticism of prominent citizens of any country with which Israel maintains friendly relations. The measure, for which the Foreign Ministry has been pressing, was scheduled for a first reading shortly but has been assigned a lower place on the Knesset agenda, presumably to allow for amendments. The bill would render foreign heads of state, heads of government, religious leaders and members of their families immune from criticism by Israeli media. Truth, the usual defense in libel cases, would not be admitted. The Foreign Ministry claims such a measure is necessary because certain countries where the idea of freedom of the press is not as deeply ingrained as it is in Israel, take offense when their leaders are criticized abroad. A Ministry spokesman declined to name such countries but claimed that because of criticism in Israeli newspapers, “we have had very serious trouble.” But public opinion here appears to have been outraged by the proposal. Critics assert that it would stifle press freedom in Israel to accommodate countries where press freedom doesn’t exist. They warned that if the public acquiesced in such a law there was no guarantee that it would not eventually be extended to forbid criticism of the political and religious establishment at home. Supporters of the bill believe it can be passed if its provisions are watered down to exempt only foreign heads of state and their immediate families.
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