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Israel has moved a step closer to making aÌýtemporary ban on news networkÌýAl Jazeera permanent, according to Israeli media reports, with the ministerial committee for legislation approving a bill on the issue on Sunday.Ìý

The temporary measure, currently in place, allows Israel to suspend broadcasts of foreign media outlets for 45 days if they are deemed to cause "significant harm to national security", while the new bill seeks to extend this provisionÌýindefinitely, Haaretz reported.

The bill, which was introduced by far-right Likud MK Ariel Kallner, who had called for a second Nakba in Gaza,Ìýwould allow the channel's broadcast to be stoppedÌýpermanently without the need for a review of another extension.

It needs to be approved by theÌýcommunication and justice ministries and revised for additional discussions after its first reading in parliament, and before a second vote.

The temporary provision, officially known as the Bill for Preventing a Foreign Broadcasting Organisation from Harming State Security, is currently in effect until 31 July.

Earlier this month, the High Court of Justice gave the state until 5 August to reply to aÌýpetition filed by theÌýAssociation for Civil Rights in IsraelÌýchallenging the temporary order.

Last month, Israel shut down Al Jazeera's operations in the country after a unanimous vote in the Knesset ordering the news outlet to cease its broadcasts in Israel in both Arabic and English.

The ban also sawÌýAl JazeeraÌýclose its offices in Israel and itsÌýequipment confiscated by police. Access to the network's website was also blocked from within Israel.

The head of Al Jazeera in Israel and the Palestinian territories described the Israeli government's move as "dangerous" and motivated by politics rather than professional considerations.

In response to its banning, Al Jazeera said:Ìý"This latest measure is part of a series of systematic Israeli attacks aimed at silencingÌýAl Jazeera."

The Middle East’s largest news network reported that Israel’s action against it included theÌýkilling of two network correspondentsÌýand the bombing of its office during the Gaza war on 7 October.

Without providing evidence, Israel had accused the two slainÌýAl JazeeraÌýjournalists of being "terror operatives" -Ìý a claim that the network vehemently denied, stating that Israel was "systematically targeting" its reporters.

In December, Al Jazeera'sÌýbureau chief in Gaza,ÌýWael al-Dahdouh,Ìýwas woundedÌýin an Israeli strike that killed the network's cameraman.

The incident followed theÌý°ì¾±±ô±ô¾±²Ô²µÌýof Dahdouh’s wife, two of his children, and a grandson in October, after an Israeli strike on their home in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza.

°Õ³ó±ðÌýUnited NationsÌýhuman rights office and the United States have criticised the shutdown of Al Jazeera's operations in Israel.

The ban came amid Israel's wider attacks on press freedom, with its assault on Gaza being the deadliest for media workers in recent history.

More than 100 journalists, almost all of whom are Palestinian, have been killed by Israel in seven months of its war.