A commentary published on June 21, 2026 argues that Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana is blocking a proposed media law in order to preserve future legitimacy with Israel’s mainstream media, especially Channel 12. The article says Ohana is refusing to use a special parliamentary procedure that would let the coalition advance the bill despite thousands of objections, even though such a move has been used before to stop opposition filibusters.
According to the piece, Ohana has offered shifting explanations for his stance, including concern about the High Court of Justice, a claim that there is no precedent, and a vague assertion that he is “handling” the matter. The author says those reasons do not hold up, given that the government backs the bill, the communications minister is promoting it, and coalition members support it.
The article presents the delay as part of a broader political strategy by Ohana. It cites unnamed figures in Likud who say he has been preparing for the day after Benjamin Netanyahu, cultivating a more moderate and state-oriented image and building ties with power centers outside the nationalist camp. The writer points especially to his relationship with Channel 12, which, according to the article, has run a nightly campaign against the law.
The commentary argues that Ohana understands he may need broader public legitimacy, not only support from Likud voters, to reach the prime minister’s office. It says he appears to be dragging out the process so the Knesset will dissolve before the committee led by MK Tally Gotliv, identified in the article as the bill’s sponsor, finishes its work. The piece concludes that the delay serves Ohana, not the national camp, and suggests an internal Likud leadership contest may already be underway.
