Voting on objections to the Communications Law has commenced in the Knesset plenum, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in attendance, according to a report.
The voting on objections to the Communications Bill has officially commenced in the Knesset plenum, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu present. This marks the latest step in a fast-moving legislative process that has seen coalition dynamics play out over the course of the day.
The progression began early Thursday, when MK Osher Shkalim presented the bill for its second and third readings at 02:28 Jerusalem. Shortly thereafter, reports from N12's Dafna Liel indicated that United Torah Judaism was considering boycotting the vote amid a dispute over Shabbat. By 02:28, multiple outlets confirmed that Netanyahu had arrived at the plenum, and Ynet reported that UTJ was absent from the vote. The voting on objections then began, with Netanyahu expected to vote.
The bill, proposed by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, aims to weaken media regulation and has been a source of significant coalition infighting. As The Zioneer reported on Monday, Netanyahu attended a Constitution Committee meeting, underscoring his involvement in legislative proceedings. The backdrop includes ongoing legal cases involving the prime minister that relate to regulatory benefits for media outlets, as noted by Liel.
It remains unclear how the voting will proceed and whether UTJ's absence will affect the outcome. The final passage of the bill is not yet assured.
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Source and signal
- Internal intake