A major obstacle has been removed: after the ban - the ombudsman authorized Netanyahu and Keri to discuss the promotion of corporate reform | Israel Hayom

Is the reform of the broadcasting corporation closer than ever?

Despite postponing the press conference to present the media reform, Communications Minister Shlomo Karai is determined to promote his plan, and parts of it will be promoted in the near future.

The ban on Karai to discuss the promotion of reform in the broadcasting corporation with Prime Minister Netanyahu - has been lifted.

Therefore, it will probably start soon.

Along with the request of senior government officials to wait with the reform of the corporation in light of the focus on the legal reform, we are now revealing in "Israel Today" the main factor that probably delayed the entire reform.

It turns out that upon the commencement of Karai's position as Minister of Communications, Government Spokesperson Gali Beharve-Miara sent a letter, in which she clarified that he is not allowed to speak on regulatory matters related to the Ministry of Communications with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or anyone on his behalf, including the Director General of the Prime Minister's Office and officials in positions of trust in Netanyahu's office.

The ombudsman's letter about the conflict of interest, photo: none

In the letter, she specifies that due to Netanyahu's conflict of interest settlement from 2020, in light of the ongoing trial in his case, they are not allowed to talk about regulatory matters of the Ministry of Communications.

Also, if there is an issue they want to talk about, they should seek permission from the ombudsman or the deputy ombudsman.

Her instruction made it difficult for Karai to promote the reform in light of his and Netanyahu's desire to be coordinated.

Now, as mentioned, we are revealing that about a month ago, Minister Karai asked the ombudsman to talk to Netanyahu about the broadcasting reform, which includes dealing with the corporation's budget, dealing with the news division, dealing with the issue of opening the radio broadcasts to competition that is also related to the corporation, as well as talking with Netanyahu about other issues which are related to the reform of the media such as the change in the broadcasting law that deals with the closing of the second authority, broadcasts of advertisements and more.

Will change the communication market?

Minister Karai, photo: Oren Ben Hakon

After a long delay, yesterday he received a partial response from the ombudsman through deputy Gil Lemon: "After an examination with the relevant officials in the office, we did not find that there is a direct connection between the issues detailed in the email below - regulatory changes in the activities of the broadcasting corporation and regulatory changes in the field of broadcasting - and the ongoing legal process In the Prime Minister's case.

Therefore, there is no obstacle to the Prime Minister's involvement in promoting these issues and the minister's cooperation with him on those issues." After this obstacle is removed, Karai will discuss the promotion of the reform with Prime Minister Netanyahu and it will probably be launched soon, as mentioned.

In the meantime, earlier this week, Communications Minister Karai attacked Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich against the opposition of the Finance Ministry's ombudsman to Karai's request to include the corporation's budget in the State Budget Arrangements Law so that he would re-examine every year, privatizing some of the radio stations of the corporation as well as canceling the corporation's ability to broadcast advertisements.

will be allowed to discuss media matters.

Netanyahu, photo: Michel dot com

The ombudsman at the Ministry of Finance, Assi Messing, sent a letter to Kerei in which he criticized: "It is proposed to cancel one of the foundations that underpins the independence of the corporation and it is its independent budgetary source" Messing also wrote that no staff work was done on the proposal in the Ministry of Finance, which is already doing staff work no. months on the Settlements Act.

In response to these words, Karai sent a scathing letter to Smotrich in which he wrote: "Messing's letter is exactly the type of bureaucratic subversion we were elected to stamp out. The Law of Arrangements is an important component of a government's ability to govern and implement policies. Your responsibility is to make sure that the policies of the elected government ministers are not put to God in the hands of orderly officials their own day".

The minister also wrote that: "The claim that the staff work was carried out in the Ministry of Finance over months, staff work that was generally intended to promote the policy of the previous government - which was dismissed by the Israeli public, is a claim that would have been better if it had not been claimed: staff work is a means of implementing the policy of an elected government and not vice versa"

Minister Karai said in response: "No legal advisor or official will block or frustrate the policies of a government elected by the people. Not Mrs. Miara and not Mr. Messing. Not on my watch."

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