12-08-2025
Karhi cannot be involved in council appts. for Israel's public broadcaster, court rules
The Office revealed relentless, inappropriate attempts by Karhi to interfere in the appointments.
Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi has no authority for involvement in the appointments proposed by the Placement Committee for the Council of the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (IPBC), known as KAN in its trade name, reads a Sunday decision by Deputy Supreme Court Chief Justice Noam Sohlberg.
Judge (ret.) Nechama Munitz was appointed by Karhi himself in February as head of the Placement Committee, which is in charge of selections. Once this act took place, it marked the end of Karhi's authority in the matter, Sohlberg explained.
The Placement Committee interviews relevant candidates and passes on their names to the communications minister, who then gives them to the Appointments Review Committee for confirmation and approval. The Placement Committee is made up of three members, including the chairperson. It requires two active members to operate; Munitz is the only sitting member on it today.
Last month, Munitz interviewed candidates; 40 had applied. Munitz chose someone to join the Placement Committee and passed on her name to Karhi so he could pass it on to the Appointments Review Committee, but he refused, claiming that Munitz's choice wasn't professional but political.
The legal advisory then approached the High Court of Justice for intervention.
Is Karhi interfering in the appointment process?
Munitz was appointed to the position after her two predecessors resigned shortly after their own appointments.
On Thursday, the legal advisory under the Attorney-General's Office updated the High Court of Justice on the process. The office revealed relentless, inappropriate attempts by Karhi to interfere in the appointments. It noted that this behavior directly challenges the legal separation established between political factors and figures and the selection process.
It further dictated that Karhi should cease involvement in the process and that he transfer any remaining appointments by Munitz to the Appointments Review Committee.
The attorney-general's update came following a petition calling for the appointment process to be completed – after it had been stalled by Karhi's efforts.
Karhi has been at the center of a heated dispute with KAN, having argued that the public broadcaster is biased and wastes public funds. He has pushed for major changes, including privatizing parts of the broadcaster and significantly trimming its budget. In late 2024, Karhi proposed shutting down KAN's news division and turning some of its services over to private operators, suggesting that news should compete in the open market rather than being publicly funded.
These plans sparked a lot of controversy and concern. The European Broadcasting Union even warned that these moves could harm Israel's democratic standards and its participation in international events like Eurovision. Karhi dismissed those concerns as overblown.
The government's legislative committee has since approved a bill aimed at privatizing KAN's news division, marking a big step toward reducing public control over the broadcaster.
Critics worry that Karhi's efforts threaten press freedom and the public's access to independent information - especially during critical times like the dire security situation Israel is in right now. The debate continues to be a major flashpoint.
Another update from Sohlberg is expected next week (August 17).
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