BICOM

The Knesset winter session opens today following a three-month break.

Today’s ceremonial opening session will include speeches by Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein, President Reuven Rivlin, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Isaac Herzog.

The legislative agenda includes two immediate and contentious issues. With the full encouragement of Prime Minister Netanyahu, Likud MK David Bitan has tabled a bill to prevent the launch of a new broadcasting corporation in January. The new body has already recruited employees with the old Israel Broadcasting Authority winding down.

Bitan claims that the new corporation is too expensive, although critics say that the real motivation for the bill is a fear by Netanyahu that it will be critical of him and his Government. Bitan told Channel Two on Saturday that the new body “has been hijacked by left-wing, anti-government figures”.

It is thought that coalition partners Shas and in particular Moshe Kahlon’s Kulanu faction, are strongly  opposed to Bitan’s bill because it may harm the free media in Israel. Kahlon reportedly boycotted a meeting yesterday of coalition faction heads to discuss the subject.

The other major issue on the Knesset agenda is the High Court’s order to evacuate the West Bank outpost of Amona by 25 December. The court ruled that it was built illegally on private Palestinian land. Jewish Home MKs and many Likud MKs strongly oppose dismantling Amona and are supporting legislation to retroactively legalise the settlement. Such a law will almost certainly be rejected by the courts.

It is reported that Netanyahu will ask the court to delay the dismantling of the outpost by six-months. It remains unclear how the government will be able to avoid eventually implementing the courts original judgement.

The government must also navigate the lengthy process of passing a two-year budget by the end of the year, with the possibility of an extension until March.