Netanyahu to scrap law banning public broadcasters from airing views
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Version 0 of 1. Israel’s prime minister says he will scrap a newly passed law banning journalists working for the country’s public broadcast authority from expressing their opinions on air. Binyamin Netanyahu’s office did not say on Sunday when the contested legislation will be reversed. The law, passed on Thursday, drew criticism from journalists, who accused the government of trying to stifle dissent. The law says broadcasts should “avoid one-sidedness, prejudice, expressing personal opinions, giving grades and affixing labels”. The Israel Press Council urged parliament to cancel the law, saying it violates free speech. Following Netanyahu’s about-face, the cabinet minister who pushed for the legislation resigned from his role overseeing public broadcasting. Ofir Akunis, one of Netanyahu’s closest confidantes, said he could not keep functioning with such a “lack of backing”. |