Israeli Knesset Approves Major Communications Reform Establishing New Regulatory Authority

The Israeli Knesset approved a comprehensive new Communications Law on Thursday, passing it in its second and third readings with 53 votes in favor and 48 against. The law, promoted by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, aims to overhaul the broadcasting market by creating a new unified communications authority to regulate the sector and reduce unnecessary bureaucracy. The reform is expected to increase competition and expand consumer choice.

Central to the legislation is the establishment of a nine-member council to oversee the new authority's policies and operations. The law also mandates that large content providers, including broadcasters and streaming services meeting certain revenue or subscriber thresholds, register in a dedicated registry and contribute up to 6.5% of their revenues to fund original Israeli productions, including documentary films. In sports broadcasting, the law prohibits bundling expensive packages for specific events and requires more equitable content distribution. Publicly significant sports events must be broadcast free of charge on open channels.

The law preserves the operation of the Idan+ system, funded by the public broadcasting corporation's budget, which will also be reduced to finance the new authority. The law will come into effect after 24 months, with some provisions activating at different intervals.

The legislation faced initial opposition from ultra-Orthodox parties but gained their support following directives from Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, who linked backing the law to advancing other religious legislative priorities. Minister Karhi hailed the law as a "historic reform" that breaks media monopolies and transfers power to the public.

Opposition parties sharply criticized the law, warning it threatens media independence. Yisrael Beiteinu called it a step toward an "Erdogan-style" regime, pledging to repeal it if they return to power. Blue and White leader Benny Gantz described it as part of a "regime coup" undermining the state.

Shortly after the law's passage, petitions were filed with the Supreme Court by Knesset members Efrat Rayten and Eitan Ginzburg, and by the Movement for Quality Government, seeking to freeze or annul the law. They argue the legislation process was flawed and that the law grants excessive government influence over the media, endangering its independence. Coalition members reject these claims, emphasizing the reform's goal to boost competition and reduce red tape. The Supreme Court's decision on the petitions will determine the law's future implementation.