The government unanimously approved the proposal on Sunday.Follow us on GoogleJustice Minister Yariv Levin with Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi during a discussion and a vote in the assembly hall of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, on February 22, 2023.(photo credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)BySHIR PERETSJULY 5, 2026 13:56Updated: JULY 5, 2026 14:19The government unanimously approved a proposal on Sunday by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi and Justice Minister Yariv Levin declaring that it will not recognize decisions by the Second Authority Council if the body does not meet the legal threshold set by law."High Court justices are not the Knesset, and an abuse of power does not give them the authority to erase an explicit statutory requirement simply because they find it inconvenient. The rule of law is not the rule of judges," Karhi said.The decision stated that the government would not recognize any decision, approval, appointment, or action made by the council while it allegedly fails to meet the statutory threshold."Today, the government made its position clear: when the High Court tramples the law, the state will not cooperate. A two-thirds majority is a legal requirement, not a recommendation, and a council that does not meet the statutory threshold established by the legislature has no legal standing, and its decisions are null and void," Kahri added.An Illustration of channel 14 outside a court hearing on the government's drafting of orthodox Jewish religious studies students for the military, at the Supreme Court in Jerusalem on June 2, 2024. (credit: CHAIM GOLDBERG/FLASH90)What is the Second Authority?The Second Authority for Television and Radio is Israel's public regulator responsible for overseeing commercial television and radio.Karhi's controversial Communications Bill sought to restructure Israel’s broadcasting oversight system, beginning with the Second Authority, and bring about sweeping reforms to Israel's broadcasting sector.In May, Supreme Court Justice Alex Stein issued a temporary order freezing the activity of the new Second Authority, barring it from convening or making decisions without governmental response to a series of the court's petitions.In June, the government claimed the High Court's ruling allowed the previous government’s Second Authority Council to resume activity despite its membership falling below the minimum required by law."The government has a duty to ensure that the law, and only the law, serves as the source of governmental authority. We will continue to use every lawful means available to restore the rule of law," Levin said.Sarah Ben-Nun contributed to this report.Follow us on Google