Last week, on the last day before it was dissolved, the Knesset passed the bill promoted by Minister of Communications Shlomo Karhi to reform regulation of broadcasting. This morning, in the High Court of Justice, Justice Ofer Grosskopf issued a temporary injunction freezing implementation of parts of the new law. As soon as the law was passed last week, petitions against it were filed by by Knesset members Efrat Rayten and Eitan Ginzburg, the Zulat and Hatzlaha organizations, the Israel Journalists Association, and the Movement for Quality of Government in Israel.
The judge ruled that the respondents, i.e., Karhi, should submit their response to the petitions for an injunction by next Sunday.
Grosskopf wrote in his decision, "The petitions raised weighty claims concerning both the legislative procedure whereby the Communications Law (Broadcasting) 2026-5886 was passed and some of the arrangements instituted or abolished by the law. Considering the extent of the changes introduced by it and its expected impact on the communications market, there is a fear that after it comes into force it will be hard to put back the clock. Despite that, since the main provisions of the Communications Law will not apply immediately, I did not see fit to issue a temporary injunction for the law in its entirety."
The temporary injunction freezes those parts of the law that were due to come into effect immediately, such as the abolition of the limitations on cross ownership of broadcasting media and of the structural separation between broadcasting channels and news companies.
In response to the decision of the High Court of Justice, Karhi said, "I’m not afraid of the High Court of Justice. They will rule solely in accordance with the laws that we pass. The High Court of Justice has no authority to freeze or strike down laws. The injunction issued without authority has no legal validity. The Communications Law passed by the Knesset last week stands. I protest in the name of the honor of the people and the honor of the Knesset. As long as there is an impudent temporary injunction that cancels a law of the Knesset arbitrarily and at the stroke of a pen, and as long as such an illegal decision is made even before a hearing has taken place, I have no intention of cooperating with the proceedings. I do not intend to run onto the pitch with hands tied and when the referee is wearing the opponent’s strip."
Karhi pushed the law through the Knesset quickly, ignoring warnings from legal counsel. A special Knesset committee was formed to deal with it, to bypass opposition, and it underwent many changes. The attorney general said that there many substantial flaws in the law, and that it endangered the image of a free press in Israel, and would lead to inability of the media to fulfill their vital role in a democratic society.
Under the law, a new broadcast media authority will be formed, replacing the current system of regulation. The Second Authority for Television and Radio will consequently be disbanded. The minister of communications will appoint six of the nine members of the council of the new authority, at the recommendation of a search committee.
The law removes the restrictions on cross ownership and abolishes the structural separation between commercial channels and news companies. It provides for investment in original Israeli productions, but foreign companies will be exempt from this obligation.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on July 19, 2026.
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