Channel 13 Challenges Government Over Authority to Reject Second Authority Council Recognition

Channel 13 sent a strongly worded letter on Tuesday to Government Secretary Yossi Fox, asserting that the government's decision not to recognize the Second Authority Council and the Supreme Court ruling is unauthorized and legally void. The letter, delivered through the law firm Fischer, emphasized that the council's decisions remain valid and binding regardless of the government's stance. Channel 13 criticized the government's refusal to acknowledge the council's actions, which contradicts a recent Supreme Court ruling affirming the council's authority to operate and make decisions.

The letter stated that the government's decision lacks legal standing and highlighted that the Second Authority Law does not condition the council's decision validity on government recognition. It further argued that the government is not entitled to override Supreme Court rulings or negate their practical effects. Channel 13 warned that the council's independence is crucial to prevent political interference in sensitive broadcasting matters and expressed concern that the government's move aims to intimidate the council and cause a deliberate paralysis of its functions.

This dispute follows a Supreme Court ruling last month that rejected considering the collective resignation of council members as affecting the council's quorum, while freezing the appointment of a new council including Chair Dr. Yifat Ben-Hai Segev. The court suggested the resignations might have been a deliberate attempt to obstruct judicial proceedings and disrupt the court's work. Consequently, the outgoing council continues to operate in its current composition, enabling it to make decisions such as reviewing Channel 13's proposed sale to a tech group led by Asaf Rappaport, co-founder of WIZ.

The government's stance has drawn sharp criticism from the State Attorney, five former Supreme Court presidents, and President Isaac Herzog, who called the refusal to comply with court rulings a "red line" on social media platform X. Herzog stressed that disobedience to Supreme Court decisions undermines national unity. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between the judiciary, the government, and regulatory bodies over authority and governance in Israel's broadcasting sector.