JERUSALEM: A ban on Al Jazeera`s operations in Israel was extended for another 45 days by Israel`s telecoms regulator on Sunday after the cabinet agreed its broadcasts posed a threat to security.

A Tel Aviv court last week upheld an initial 35-day ban on Al Jazeera operations in Israel, imposed by the government on national security grounds, which ended on Saturday.

In a separate ruling on a petition by AlJazeera against the closure, Israel`s Supreme Court described the measure against the Qatari-backed broadcaster channel as `precedent-setting`.

It gave Israel`s government until Aug 8 to offer arguments for `why it should not be determined that the Law Preventing a Foreign Broadcaster from Harming National Security` is void.

AlJazeera had told the court it did not incite violence or terrorism and that the ban was disproportionate, court documents showed. The channel, which has criticised Israel`s military operations in Gaza, said it planned to appeal the latest ban extension.

The network`s broadcasts on the cable and satellite companies and access to it s websites will remain blocke d, Israel`s Communications Ministry said.-Reuters