Entering election year, Netanyahu’s government targets Israel’s free press
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not granted an interview to Israel’s three main broadcasters in over four years. He’s accused them of “brainwashing,” claimed they assist Israel’s enemies and personally gone after journalists who criticize him.
Now, that longstanding tension is evolving into something more aggressive.: On Monday, Netanyahu’s coalition will establish a special parliamentary committee to advance legislation that would replace Israel’s independent media regulators with political appointees. The change will give the government sweeping authority to fine and sanction news outlets – a move critics warn could permanently reshape the country’s media environment.
The bill, sponsored by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, a Netanyahu loyalist, passed its first reading last month after it was introduced in May. The government says its goal is to open the market, promote competition, remove outdated regulatory barriers and modernize Israel’s media laws for the digital era.
Israeli networks, however, have warned the proposed reform will expand political influence and erode editorial independence. In an unprecedented move, the rival networks created a joint emergency forum in August 2023 to oppose the government’s plans, which they dub a “hostile takeover” of the media market.
An official in the forum told CNN, “What we’re seeing is an attempted power grab on the eve on an election. The clear objective is to subdue the free press and silence criticism before Israelis go to the polls.” […]
As Netanyahu’s government pushes to constrain and boycott critical reporting, it has simultaneously promoted pro-Netanyahu Channel 14 – often called Israel’s Fox News – with regulatory benefits, including reduced distribution fees, and various reliefs allowing it to operate with fewer restrictions than other commercial channels.
And now just watch Mushroom Cock try to do the same thing. And then, if he gets away with this, watch Bibi give himself the pardon he was asking for the other day…
