Journalist and television host Yinon Magen attacked coalition lawmakers on Monday over their absence from committee debates on the broadcasting bill. He argued that hundreds of hours of committee work could be wasted because right-wing MKs did not show up for the votes, slowing the legislation's progress.
In a post on X, Magen said the coalition’s inability to attend the discussions, whether because of “other plans” or other reasons, is damaging the effort to advance the law. He warned that the communications bill may never reach a plenum vote, which he said could endanger right-wing media and lead to censorship and even an “off-screen blackout.”
Magen also said that if, in a year, people on the right claim that the program “The Patriots” was taken off the air for being “inciting,” they should remember that the coalition left Minister Miri Regev alone in the committee without a majority. He said today’s scheduled discussion was canceled after the absence of MKs Michal Buskila, Tzaga Malko and Osher Shkalim, while opposition lawmakers, he claimed, attend every session.
He ended with the line, “This is why you vote right and get left. Laziness and irresponsibility,” framing the issue as a failure by elected officials that could affect the future of media in Israel.
