High Court temporarily freezes parts of Shlomo Karhi's broadcasting reform as petitions grow

Israel's High Court of Justice has issued a temporary freeze on crucial parts of Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi's recently enacted broadcasting reform. The decision came in response to a growing number of petitions challenging the overhaul, with Justice Ofer Grosskopf consolidating four new legal challenges with three previously filed during the legislation's passage through the Knesset.

Grosskopf acknowledged that the petitions raised "weighty claims" concerning both the legislative process and the specific arrangements introduced or abolished by the reform. He expressed concern that, given the significant impact of the changes on the Israeli media market, reversing them after implementation could prove difficult.

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weighty claims

However, the court stopped short of suspending the entire reform. Grosskopf noted that most provisions were not scheduled for immediate effect. Consequently, he opted to freeze only those specific elements slated to take effect upon the law's publication, leaving the remainder of the reform temporarily intact while further review is conducted.

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turn back the clock