Shas is not backing down from its demand to cancel the appointment of Rami Sadan as Chairman of the Board of Channel 10 News in light of the racist statements attributed to Sadan against Sephardim as was reported by YWN-ISRAEL. Shas informed Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu that until the appointment is canceled, it will not support the coalition in votes in the Knesset plenum.

Shas is not remaining passive in the matter but has sent an urgent letter to Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit calling upon him to cancel the appointment based on the statements attributed to Sadan, citing he is unfit to hold this or other senior positions.

In the interim, Sadan continues to deny the statements attributed to him, insisting he never uttered such racist slurs. Shas explains to the Prime Minister that if the appointment is not canceled it will take its case to the High Court of Justice. Some of the Channel 10 News team have tweeted that they are distancing themselves from Sadan’s comments, making it clear they do not share his racist bias.

Communications Ministry Director-General Shlomo Filbert tweeted that he conducted a probe and has learned Sadan never made the statements attributed to him. Channel 2 echoes this. However, Director-General of Channel 10, Golan Yuchpaz has stated emphatically the statements were made.

Many speculate the RGE Group, which owns the controlling stake in the station, will cancel the appointment.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)