Knesset Legal Advisor Warns of Procedural Flaw Ahead of Communications Law Vote

Knesset legal advisor Sagit Afik issued a warning before the final vote on the Communications Law proposed by Minister Shlomo Karhi. Afik cautioned that if the coalition approves amendments that were not discussed in committee during the final votes, it would constitute a procedural flaw in the legislative process. The law aims to allow the establishment of new news channels with minimal regulation and would eliminate the existing separation between channel owners and news companies.

One notable provision in the law involves creating a government app that would provide free access to all news channels. Content providers such as HOT, Yes, and Partner would be required to include these news channels alongside their other offerings. The legal advisor's warning highlights concerns about the legislative process integrity as the Knesset prepares to vote on this significant media reform.