Knesset Legal Advisor, Attorney Sagit Afik, sent a letter today (Wednesday) to the chair of the special committee on the Communications Law, MK Galit Distel Atbarian, in which she effectively buryes the 'Communications Law' - after Distel attacked the legal advisors yesterday.
Distel sharply attacked the Knesset's legal advisors in yesterday's debate: "Your wording completely ignores our agenda, you are not the purpose." In response, the advisors abandoned the debate: "There is no need for legal advice here, we will leave.".
Afik noted in her letter that she had instructed her people to leave the discussion. Afik rejected Distel's statements that the committee's legal counsel was responsible for the many problems in the bills and its discussions. "The legal counsel devotes long hours to the committee's discussions and many internal discussions at the request of the committee chairman with the minister," Afik wrote.
She noted that there is also no factual basis for claims that the committee's legal advisory team has an agenda that contradicts the committee chairman's policy - and this was apparently expressed in the wording prepared by them.
Afik reiterated her position that the proper legislative process is to discuss the entire bill in the committee authorized for this purpose - the Economic Affairs Committee, which in fact may bury the law, so that if it passes and reaches the High Court, it may be invalidated.
Communications Minister Shlomo Kari responded: "I was shocked to read Sagit Afik's letter, in which she admits guilt because she was the one who ordered the committee's legal advisors to go out in a demonstrative manner and harm the sovereignty of the Knesset. This serious abuse of her position does not allow for any other action other than the immediate dismissal of the Knesset's legal advisor by the Knesset Speaker.".
Karai also accused Afik of being part of, he claims, the long arm of Gali Baharav and Yara, "with the aim of thwarting legislation that they don't like," as he put it.
Distel responded to Afik: "I do not accept your recommendation. The Communications Committee will remain in my possession. Whoever wants to run the country – let him run in the elections.".
The bill is intended to establish a body to oversee television broadcasts. Left-wing-controlled television channels oppose the law.
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