The Israel Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) is planning to petition the High Court of Justice (HCJ) in an attempt to prevent a measure that will cause the laying off of hundreds of employees and seriously damage freedom of expression. The petition is part of the employee's campaign against the compromise between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Finance Moshe Kahlon. Hundreds of IBC employees and their supporters demonstrated Saturday night in front of the government building in Tel Aviv, and dozens later went to demonstrate opposite the home of coalition chairman MK David Bitan (Likud) in Rishon Lezion.
The demonstrators called out to Bitan, who led the opposition to the IBC in media interviews, "Don't be a coward, Bitan." Upon arriving at his home and passing by the demonstrators, Bitan told them, "You aren't democracy; you aren't the public." A vociferous argument ensued between Bitan and the demonstrators. One IBC employee told him, "I can't believe that I have to stand here and demonstrate because I'm going to lose my job." The other demonstrators joined in, saying, "You enacted the law that caused layoffs," to which Bitan responded with a dismissive gesture.
Bitan put a picture on his Twitter account showing a broken plant pot in the entrance of the building he lives in. "The civilized people from the IBC demonstrating in front of my house destroyed property," Bitan wrote. "They're real guardians of democracy."
Speaking about the anticipated petition, IBC workers' committee member Yaara Shapira said that the employees "hope that the public's representatives in the Knesset and the government put an end to this weird process. If we don't get relief from them, however, we'll turn to the HCJ in the hope that the watchdogs protect us and public broadcasting." The IBC employees are probably planning to file their petition next Monday. It is unclear what grounds the petition will cite, but the general direction is a conflict of interest on Netanyahu's part in his involvement in communications matters, even though the HCJ has already ruled that he is barred from dealing in these matters for several months. MK Tzachi Hanegbi was appointed Minister of Communications following this ruling. In their petition, the IBC employees will probably also allege that the reason for closing down the news department was not explained, and the decision was unreasonable.
The demonstrators in Tel Aviv said that they were not motivated solely by concern for their jobs and livelihood; they were also concerned about free public broadcasting independent of politicians. They said, "This measure not only tells the IBC who's boss, it also tells the other media, 'Be careful - if you don't conform, I'll do the same to you'."
The demonstrators blocked roads, calling "Bibi, this isn't Erdogan here," and "Kahlon, you chickened out." Speaking at the demonstration, Israel Journalists Association chairman Yair Tarchitsky said, "We heard that Bibi and Kahlon reached a compromise. This isn't a compromise; it's corruption at the expense of over 1,000 workers." He added, "Journalists have been abused for years, and for only one reason: politicians want journalists and the media to serve them. But broadcasting belongs to the public."
The announcement of the demonstration stated, "We will convene to protest against the government's attempts to take over the free press in Israel, and public broadcasting in particular. We call on journalists, creative people, social organizations, and anyone who cares to join us."
Netanyahu and the Ministry of Finance agreed that a separate corporation would be established for new and current events separately from the existing IBC, and the current IBC news department would be dismantled. The Israel Broadcasting Association will continue to broadcast the news until the new department is established.
Published by Globes [online], Israel Business News - www.globes-online.com - on April 2, 2017
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