Supreme Court Issues Conditional Order Against Shlomo Karhi Media Law
Israel's Supreme Court issued a conditional order against Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi's media law, citing severe legislative flaws and setting a government response deadline for January 2027.
The High Court of Justice issued a conditional order against Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi’s media legislation, citing significant flaws in the legislative process. A three-judge panel, led by Supreme Court President Isaac Amit, ordered the government to show cause by January 7, 2027, why the law should not be revoked.
At this stage, and for the sake of focusing the proceedings, the judges noted they chose not to issue a conditional order regarding the substantive provisions of the communications law itself. The ruling follows an earlier legal opinion submitted by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who warned that the legislation inflicts severe harm on the free media market and was advanced through a deeply flawed process laden with extreme procedural defects.
The petitions challenge both the fast-tracked legislative mechanism and specific regulatory overhauls introduced by the measure, which aims to abolish the Second Authority for Television and Radio alongside the Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Council. These bodies are slated to be replaced by a streamlined supervisory agency, while the reform also eases broadcasting licensing rules and allows for expanded cross-ownership across media outlets.
