Sa’ar defends bill to privatize public broadcaster, lashes out at media’s overhaul coverage

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar dismisses concerns that the government is seeking to revive its controversial judicial overhaul, a day after Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi of Likud declared that the government has the right to carry out “regime change” in Israel.

“If someone says that I am allowed to change the system of government, it doesn’t mean that the system of government is changing,” Sa’ar tells reporters during his New Hope party’s weekly faction meeting in the Knesset, criticizing the media for “maintaining this discourse while Israel is waging a critical international campaign on its right to self-defense.”

The press has inflated Karhi’s comments “into a major event,” Sa’ar argues, further dismissing concerns over a bill mandating the privatization of the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation within two years, effectively closing down the public broadcaster.

“It’s not about closing, it’s about privatization,” he insists.

Asked if bills being advanced by the coalition were similar to those of the judicial overhaul, Sa’ar responds that “not every bill that comes up in the Knesset is a revolution” and that “everything needs to be examined on its own merits.”

He adds that if and when the judicial overhaul is again put on the agenda, he hopes that “it will be with broad agreement.”

Prior to rejoining the coalition in September, Sa’ar was a harsh critic of the government’s handling of the war and other security and political issues, accusing it of “politicizing” the role of ombudsman for judges by backing a law under which lawmakers would vote on candidates for the position.

Recognizing his opposition to the overhaul, Sa’ar’s coalition agreement with Likud gives him discretion to vote differently from the coalition on bills concerning changes to the judicial system. The coalition holds a majority of Knesset seats even without New Hope.