Likud and Bayit Yehudi are locked in a dispute surrounding the establishment of a public broadcasting authority (PBA), an escalating dispute that may threaten the stability of the government coalition.

The machlokes reportedly found a place at the weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday 25 Tammuz, as the new entity which was to begin at the end of the Gregorian year is now pushed off for an additional 18 months due to the actions of Minister Miri Regev and others, who feel the government must maintain an element of control over the new authority. Adopting an even more controlling approach, Minister Ofir Akunis feels that the Prime Minister should and must have final say regarding all appointments over the new public broadcasting authority.

However, Bayit Yehudi leaders Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked are far away from the opinions of their Likud colleagues, insisting the public authority must be just that, independent of government control. Bennett also feels that pushing off implementation for another 18 months will leave the journalistic community disappointed and even lead to distancing themselves from the new channel. He feels the new PBA must be totally independent of government intervention.

The tensions flared and the ministers went head-to-head over other matters too, including the cabinet’s handling of Operation Protective Edge, which is a prominent topic again ahead of an expected State Comptroller’s report on the military offensive. Bennett slammed PM Netanyahu over recent days, insisting he is lying and the cabinet never discussed Hamas terrorist tunnels as is claimed. The Prime Minister’s Bureau issued a strongly-worded statement insisting the matter of the Hamas tunnel threat was indeed discussed by the cabinet numerous times, contradicting Bennett.

Likud released a statement calling Bennett and Shaked “The darlings of the left-wing and Noni Moses (who is the publisher of Yediot Achronot) who backs the never-ending attempts by Bennett and Shaked to harm both PM Netanyahu and Likud”.

Bayit Yehudi counter-attacked, accusing PM Netanyahu of firing live ammunition inside the APC (armored personnel carrier) which is the right-wing camp.

“He is firing again at the Right as was the case when he backed the Disengagement Plan, voting for Gush Katif’s destruction” read the Bayit Yehudi statement, adding “This was the case with the construction freeze in Yehuda and Shomron, and surrendered to Hamas and declared his backing for a Palestinian state at Bar Ilan University” referring to Mr. Netanyahu’s famous Bar Ilan address.

PM Netanyahu on Sunday clarified his position, explaining there is a need for a media that will represent the entire political spectrum and that is why the public broadcasting authority is necessary.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)