The Israeli parliament dissolved on Friday following an overnight session that concluded its first full four-year term since 1988. Before disbanding, the governing coalition passed controversial legislation regarding media regulation and ultra-Orthodox military draft exemptions.

Shlomo Karhi’s victory over the "deep state" media monopoly

The governing coalition successfully passed a media reform bill that centralizes control over national broadcasting and digital platforms. According to the report, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi championed the legislation, which replaces the Second Authority for Television and Radio and the Council for Cable and Satellite Broadcasting with a single, unified government regulatory body. Karhi framed the victory as a triumph over "the Left's monopoly" and the "deep state."

By granting Karhi the power to select members of this new unified body , the bill significantly expands executive oversight of the press. Critics argue this move threatens independent journalism by concentrating regulatory power within the hands of political appointees, potentially allowing the government to influence national discourse.

The ultra-Orthodox draft exemption standoff with the High Court

In a move to secure coalition support, the Knesset passed a law to temporarily suspend the proscution of ultra-Orthodox Jews who have avoided military service. This legislative push comes after ultra-Orthodox parties threatened to exit the government if the crackdown on their communities continued. However,the High Court of Justice has already stepped in to freeze the implementation of this law, citing previous rulings that such exemptions are unconstitutional.

This clash highlights a deepening rift between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration and the judiciary. as the report notes, ministers including Netanyahu and Karhi have increasingly dismissed the authority of judges, characterizing the judiciary as a "judicial mafia."

A historic four-year term ending in legislative chaos

The dissolution of the Knesset marks a rare political milestone, representing the first time since 1988 that an Israeli government has completed a full four-year term. Speaker Amir Ohana noted that the parliament successfully passed nine budgets and hundreds of bills during this period . Despite this stability in tenure, the final hours of the term were marked by a marathon session of last-minute legislative priorities.

This period of governance has been defined by intense internal pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who continues to navigate a corruption trial and widespread public protests. speaker Ohana expressed a desire for unity, stating that despite political disagreements, lawmakers should remember they are "not enemies yet partners belonging to one people and one country."

The legality of Karhi’s new regulatory body

While the media reform bill has passed, several critical questions remain regarding its long-term enforcement and legal standing. it is currently unclear how the new unified regulatory body will interact with existing international broadcasting standards or if the High Court will challenge the selection process used by Shlomo Karhi.

Furthermore,the source does not clarify whether the media reform will face similar immediate freezes from the judiciary as the ultra-Orthodox draft law did. The tension between the executive branch's new powers and the High Court's oversight remains the central unresolved conflict heading into the election.