High Court Allows Outgoing Second Authority Council to Meet Without Resigning Members

Israel’s High Court of Justice ruled on Wednesday that the outgoing council of the Second Authority for Television and Radio may meet and make decisions even if the members who resigned are absent. The ruling came after a petition by the Journalists’ Organization, which argued that the mass resignations were a coordinated external move intended to paralyze the regulator.

The judges said the affidavits before them created a strong suspicion that Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, or people acting for him, were involved in the dismissals and resignation plan. They wrote that the resignations appeared aimed only at frustrating prior court decisions in the case, and said the timing between the resignations, the minister’s contacts and the court rulings was troubling.

The court also noted that most of the members resigned only from the outgoing council, while insisting they wanted to serve on the new council appointed by the government. In the justices’ words, these “unique and exceptional” circumstances meant that, for now, the resigning members would not be counted, so as not to allow “a deliberate obstruction and paralysis” of the council’s work.

The ruling means the outgoing council can continue operating during the interim order period until a final judgment on the petitions. Among the major issues it is expected to handle are the proposed deal involving Network 13 and scrutiny of Channel 14’s revenues. The background to the case includes five petitions challenging the government’s appointment of the new council headed by Yifat Ben Haim-Shegev, and an earlier temporary order barring the new council from convening or taking decisions.