Opposition leader Lapid says Netanyahu carrying out 'planned, orchestrated attack' against Israeli press

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of carrying out "a planned, orchestrated attack" against the Israeli press during an "emergency" conference on freedom of expression in the Knesset State Control Committee. 

He further stressed that the Israeli press is "under attack". 

"In what country – in what type of country – does the prime minister speak in parliament against the basic idea of a free press? In what sort of country is criticism of the government – the most basic role of the media – labelled as treachery?,” he asked. 

“Democracy must protect itself. The two basic qualities of a democracy – the qualities that differentiate it from every other type of regime – are its ability to critique itself and to improve itself. Both are impossible without a free press. Both are under attack," Lapid added. 

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Yesh Atid party, led by Yair Lapid, convened the conference called the "Media Freedom Conference" as there has been a rise in the number of moves by the Israeli government that could negatively affect the freedom of the press in the country. 

They include bill proposals to privatise and commercialise Israel’s Public Broadcasting Corporation, known as Kan; a government decision to cut all advertising ties to the Haaretz newspaper; an attempt to alter the television rating measurement system; and more, The Jerusalem Post reported. 

Lapid further said, “This government doesn't want balance, it wants media like in Hungary, like in Russia – restrained, frightened, submissive, shallow."

He said that these planned attacks come from the top. "Time after time, Netanyahu speaks from the Knesset podium to rail against the media."

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Since the government took power in 2022, Israel has fallen 15 spots in Reporters Without Borders' annual press freedom index. But, "that's not enough for this government. It wants us to drop further."

Lapid continued, "They tried to appoint a director-general at Channel 13 who would work for them…and the government voted unanimously to cancel all its advertising in Haaretz." 

“If they can end government advertising in Haaretz because of political statements, do you really think they can’t halt advertising on Channel 12? If they can legislate against the public broadcaster, they can’t legislate against Channel 13? Is there anything in the behaviour of this government that makes you believe they’ll stop? That they have red lines?” he asked. 

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(With inputs from agencies)