Likud said to be courting Ra’am for help on passing media overhaul law

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party is reportedly in talks with the Islamist Ra'am party to garner support for a contentious media overhaul bill proposed by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi. The coalition is allegedly offering to halt home demolitions in the Negev's Bedouin communities, a key constituency for Ra'am, in exchange for the party's abstention on crucial committee votes related to the legislation.

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another spin by the Arab parties.

According to a Channel 12 report, coalition officials are negotiating with Ra'am MK Waleed Alhawashla, the sole Arab lawmaker on the special committee preparing the bill. Alhawashla reportedly indicated he would only consider abstaining if the government committed to a complete cessation of demolitions of illegally constructed homes in the Negev. Likud has not officially rejected this demand, leaving the door open for further discussions, although the party has publicly denied the report, labeling it "spin by the Arab parties."

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, a far-right figure who has overseen numerous Bedouin structure demolitions, strongly condemned the reported negotiations. He called the potential agreement a "disgrace and shame for Likud" and vowed to continue demolitions "with even greater intensity," stating he would disregard any such deal and rejects "negotiations with supporters of terrorism."

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a disgrace and shame for Likud.

The coalition has faced difficulties in advancing Karhi's media overhaul, which would grant the government significant control over broadcast media and news outlets as the country approaches elections. Earlier reports suggested Likud had also reached an agreement with the ultra-Orthodox Shas party to support the media bill in exchange for advancing a separate bill to reverse kosher certification reforms. Communications Minister Karhi acknowledged his openness to "political deals" when questioned about the reported agreement with Shas.

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I am very much in favor of political deals; I am a politician.