Moshe Drori, Shlomo Karai/Flash 90, Yonatan Zindel
Another objection to the appointment of retired judge Moshe Drori to the position of chairman of the search committee for the corporation board: in a sharp letter sent by the Movement for Fair Regulation, it asks the Appointments Committee under the Government Companies Law to re-examine the circumstances of Drori's appointment to the position by Communications Minister Shlomo Karai. The movement says that " The law and its purposes do not allow this candidate to be approved."
We will remind:
in accordance with section 29 (a) (1) of the Israeli Public Broadcasting Law, the chairman of the search committee is appointed in consultation with the president of the Supreme Court.
The search committee is responsible for recommending the appointments of members of the Board of the Broadcasting Corporation and the Chairman of the Broadcasting Corporation.
The chairman of the search committee has the authority to appoint the other two members of the committee independently.
In the letter, the movement bases Drori's unsuitability for the position on the recommendations of the Lands Committee (the committee for examining the blueprint for public broadcasting that led to the establishment of the Broadcasting Corporation) which wrote as follows: "As for the appointment of the council, the committee discussed extensively the possibility of establishing an appointment procedure that would ensure worthy and independent council members. After discussion, the committee believes...that the appointment process should be done in a public and transparent process, through a search committee that is also independent....[The committee] believes that the appointment process through the search committee will allow for the selection of candidates who not only formally meet the eligibility conditions, but who are suitable to serve As members of the council of a body with unique characteristics as a public broadcaster in terms of their abilities and commitment to promote public broadcasting. Also, the committee believes that the above recommended procedure is required to ensure the independence of the committee members, so that in fulfilling their duties they will consider only the good of public broadcasting."
My office here is the Broadcasting Corporation/Shay Epstein
"In interviews, Drori referred to the Israeli television channels as 'panic channels' in connection with his other appointment as chairman of the spying committee.
We will add that Judge Drori spoke out on political issues and issues that are at the core of public controversy"
The movement mentions that the goal, as detailed in the Landes report and the bill, is to create a separation in the appointment of council members from the political level, taking into account news and current affairs broadcasts.
We will remind:
the need for a separation between the minister who holds a political position and the council members is what led to the legislation regulating the establishment of a search committee which is supposed to be a "buffer", a barrier, between the political echelon and the members of the council. The appointment procedure was built with the aim of neutralizing political considerations and involvement. Such a disconnect is necessary in any professional statutory corporation, but even more so in relation to appointments in the Israel Broadcasting Corporation, which is required for the professionalism of the corporation's news broadcasts on both television and radio, creating a difficulty Added in terms of the incentive for political intervention.
The movement also relies on the purpose of the Broadcasting Corporation Law, which sets as a goal the promotion of the corporation's activity and growth. "It is really doubtful whether the Honorable Judge (retired) Drori is the right person for this, taking into account his worldview and his statements as they came to me An expression in his rulings and interviews," the movement writes.
"For example, the ruling in the case of Tel Aviv (Jerusalem) 2003-06 State of Israel v. So-and-so, in which the honorable retired judge stated the purpose of non-conviction and the prohibition of publication of the name of Dors and explained it as follows: "The purpose of not - The conviction is, among other things, to allow the accused to present his candidacy as a judge in the rabbinical court, and for that purpose it is appropriate that this judgment be published when the name of the accused is not published", or his reference to the sexual vulnerability of a young girl (BS (Jerusalem) 8485-09 Pelunit N. unknown).
In addition, in interviews, retired judge Moshe Drori referred to the Israeli television channels as 'panic channels' in connection with his other appointment as chairman of the anti-trafficking committee. We would add that judge Drori expressed himself on political issues and issues that are at the core of public controversy."
My office here is the Broadcasting Corporation/Shay Epstein
In the letter, the response of the legal advice to the appeal of the creators' organizations to the Acting Supreme President, Uzi Fogelman, which was revealed in Walla!
Barangay and implies that Karai was presented with additional information related to his appointment
In the letter, the movement also notes the resignation of the chairman of the first search committee appointed by Karai, Judge Nechama Netzer, less than a year after her appointment. According to publications, her resignation occurred after the minister's attempted intervention in the appointment of the additional members of the
search committee .
to the Acting President of the Supreme Court, Uzi Fogelman, which was exposed in Walla! Barangay and implies that Karai was presented with additional information related to his appointment: "On January 11, 2024, the Acting President of the Supreme Court replied to the letter of the Minister of Communications, and in this context, the Acting President brought "For the consideration of the minister, as the appointing authority, relevant information regarding the possibility of the appointment," the answer reads.
"Opposition to the very existence of an Israeli broadcasting corporation in Israel is permitted and the Minister of Communications has the opportunity to advance primary legislation on this matter. However, as long as the corporation exists by virtue of the law, the Appointments Committee must examine whether the hostility of the Minister of Communications to the Broadcasting Corporation led to the appointment of the chairman of the search committee.
Due to the importance of the matters and in light of their sensitivity, we believe that the committee should examine Mr. Drori's competence and suitability, as well as examine the reasons for the resignation of the chairman of the search committee shortly after her appointment," according to the letter.
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