Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

Herzog, Opposition Warn Legal Anarchy as Channel 13 Sale Stalls

7/9/2026

40 3 Full Breakdown

Left

Opposition Warns

Opposition leaders and President Isaac Herzog warned the declaration could create legal anarchy and undermine Israel’s rule of law.
Channel 13’s pending sale to the Merit fund is stalled as the Second Authority Council’s approval remains uncertain.
Cabinet says the council lacks authority with fewer than ten members, violating the 1990 law.
Legal analysts warn the defiance threatens certainty and could erode investor confidence ahead of elections.

Right

Netanyahu Bypasses Court

Cabinet members voted unanimously to ignore the Supreme Court’s quorum ruling for the Second Authority.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government will proceed without a legally valid Second Authority council immediately.
Leader Yair Lapid, IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot and former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett warned anarchy.
Minister Shlomo Karhi said two-thirds quorum is needed, noting Reshet 13 sale could aid election coverage.

Blindspot

Blindspot

Left coverage noted the High Court froze the government’s effort to appoint new council members, suspecting the resignations were intended to cripple the regulator, a detail not mentioned by the Right.
Left coverage also included President Isaac Herzog’s warning that the declaration could undermine the rule of law, which the Right summary does not reference.

History

Historical Context

The 1990 Knesset law that created the Second Authority for Television and Radio ended the Israel Broadcasting Authority’s monopoly and set a fifteen-member council with a two-thirds (ten-member) quorum, a rule the Supreme Court cited in 2023. In 2023 Netanyahu’s cabinet voted to ignore that quorum, prompting Herzog, Lapid and IDF chief Eisenkot to warn of legal chaos.

1 of 4

Opposition Warns

Opposition leaders and President Isaac Herzog warned the declaration could create legal anarchy and undermine Israel’s rule of law.
Channel 13’s pending sale to the Merit fund is stalled as the Second Authority Council’s approval remains uncertain.
Cabinet says the council lacks authority with fewer than ten members, violating the 1990 law.
Legal analysts warn the defiance threatens certainty and could erode investor confidence ahead of elections.

1 / 4