Israeli government votes to rejectgovernment votes to reject Supreme Court rulings on media regulator
The Israeli government voted unanimously on Sunday to reject all decisions by the Second Authority for Television and Radio, claiming the council fails to meet legal requirements mandated by law.
This move, proposed by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, has sparked concerns about the government defying Supreme Court authority and challenging Israel's democratic institutions.
The decision could impact the pending sale of Channel 13, one of Israel's largest media networks.
Western Media
Western media and Israeli democracy advocates describe the government's vote as an unconstitutional attack on judicial independence that undermines Israel's democratic foundations.
Israeli Government
Israeli officials backing the government frame the decision as a necessary correction to a regulatory body that failed to meet legal standards set by parliamentary law.
- Israel's Supreme Court has historically played a central role in balancing parliamentary power and protecting minority rights since the country's founding in 1948.
- Shlomo Karhi was previously expelled from the Knesset for four months in 2023 after making controversial remarks about the judiciary.
- Channel 13 was founded in 2017 as a replacement for the earlier Channel 2, which ceased operations after a regulatory reform.
