From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, December 4, 2024
Karhi pushes back against claim government working to curb free press
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleSam Sokol is a former political correspondent at The Times of Israel. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
Pushing back against allegations that the government is working to curb the press, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi claims at an emergency conference at the Knesset that the legislation will in fact increase freedom of expression.
Responding to harsh criticism from Opposition Leader Yair Lapid and representatives of the media, Karhi declares that he “works for the public and not for the media” and argues that the public wants “a diversity of opinions” from the right to the left.
He also argues that the moves being promoted by the government would open the radio market to competition by abolishing regional restrictions.
Karhi says that when the government passes its legislation, “freedom of expression will increase.”
Following repeated interruptions by lawmakers and journalists, Karhi’s chief of staff Elad Zamir is removed from the chamber after screaming that Lapid was trying to “silence our voices.”
Earlier in the meeting, citing recent legislative initiatives aimed at granting the government oversight of television ratings data and privatizing the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation and Army Radio, Lapid accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of carrying out “a planned, orchestrated attack” against the Israeli press.
The Times of Israel Community.