""Israel Hayom is a newspaper that has never seen Shas even address a response""

May 11, 2014   

Over the past week, the newspaper Israel Hayom has been running an aggressive campaign against the bill whose hidden goal is to put an end to free newspapers. The bill is signed by MKs from the Labor, Jewish Home, Shas, Yesh Atid, and the Movement factions. According to the bill, "any newspaper that is defined as one of the four daily newspapers with the widest circulation in the country will be required to be sold for a 'symbolic consideration' - approximately 70% of the price of the most widely distributed and cheapest daily newspaper." The bill is signed by MKs Eitan Cabel, Robert Ilatov, Ayelet Shaked, Elazar Stern, Ariel Atias (his faction members Yitzhak Cohen and Yitzhak Vaknin, who also signed the bill, are now requesting that their names be removed), and Yoel Razbozov, and its goal is "to promote and strengthen the written press in Israel and it will be based on the recognition that it is of paramount importance to preserve freedom of expression and democracy.". In the weekly column 'Who Against Who?' on the website Makoto Treat Aviv Horwitz The line that "Israel Hayom" is taking following the bill intended to close the newspaper, and spoke with MKs who signed the bill. The conversation with the chairman of the Shas faction in the Knesset, MK Ariel Atias, is particularly instructive. Here is the conversation: MK Ariel Atias, former Minister of Communications, who contacted you regarding the bill seeking to prevent the distribution of free newspapers? ""The person who contacted me was Eitan Cabel. He told me: 'There's a bill, read it. What do you say about it?' I said: 'Okay.' This is an issue that has been circulating in the Knesset for several years, dating back to the previous government. Overall, the bill is not intended to limit 'Israel Today', but is intended to create uniform rules of the game that are not biased in favor of a person who has unlimited amounts of money and who does not live in Israel.". So why didn't anyone from Shas join the previous bills on this issue? ""Because we were in a coalition, and at the time the prime minister threw his full weight so that the coalition wouldn't get involved in this matter. This was a lifesaver for him. Today we are free from the obligations we had in the past, and when Ethan Cabel approached me about this matter, I thought it was the right thing to do.". Is there any connection between certain elements in "Yediot" and the bill? ""I don't know, and I don't really care who it's about. I only know whether it's the right thing to do or not, and whether I believe in it or not. When you give it away for free, it means that it's not actually freedom of the press. Freedom of the press and 'Israel Hayom' don't go together. It's a joke to say that.". What is your problem with the current format of "Israel Today"? ""There is a person here who puts up large amounts of money that allows the newspaper to be distributed for free, thereby harming other media outlets and the livelihoods of journalists. In addition, there is no policy agenda in Israel Hayom. There is a person's agenda. The newspaper is not even pro-Likud. It is pro-Bibi. Likudists also get a lot of coverage there, and those who are not with Netanyahu barely get a line there. Shas in general has been getting a lot of coverage there on the right and left for years since this newspaper was founded.". So that's why you're against "Israel Today"? ""That's not the consideration. The main consideration is whether there are fair rules of the game here or not. Sheldon Adelson has enough money to collect three shekels and continue supporting the newspaper, and I believe that if the law passes, he will continue to do that. He will not close 'Israel Hayom.' Make no mistake.". But you probably knew that by actually signing this bill, you are opening a front against "Israel Hayom.". ""What do you mean, opening a front? 'Israel Hayom' has never been with me or against me. Has 'Israel Hayom' ever written an inch about me? Was it ever in my favor, that I'm opening a front against it? There is no front. I have never had any contact with 'Israel Hayom.' From the day it opened, I haven't been interviewed there, and they haven't contacted me either. It's not just me. This is a newspaper that Shas has never even considered a legitimate address to receive a response to on anything. What do we see? A product designed only to preserve Benjamin Netanyahu's power. Not of the Likud, not of the right, not of Shas, not of anyone identified with the right. Nothing.". Did Aryeh Deri talk to you about the bill? ""I talked to him. I told him that there is such a thing and I think it should be supported. So he told me that if I believe in it, I will go for it.". But he himself did not sign the proposal. ""He didn't sign, I don't think any party leader signed.". When was the last time you visited the "Yediot" news agency? ""A long time ago. I don't remember telling you. I'm not their client. You can leaf through the newspapers and see that I'm not a dear son there. If you're trying to imply in your questions that I have personal matters that are why I signed the bill - you're wrong. By the way, in the entire Knesset building, except for Bibi himself, I don't think anyone likes this thing called 'Israel Today' in its current form. And I talk to a lot of people.". So why didn't all members of Knesset sign the bill? ""Because there are quite a few Knesset members who say to themselves: Why do I need to get involved with 'Israel Hayom' and confront Bibi?"Two months ago, Ynet did a special project on the one-year anniversary of the government, and invited you to speak on camera, along with most of the Knesset members who signed the bill. Was that some kind of stunt? ""There is no connection between the things, just as there is no connection to the fact that this bill is signed by three Knesset members from the Shas party, Yitzhak Vaknin and Yitzhak Cohen, and yet they always only talk to me.".