After Israeli journalists Nir Dvori and Suleiman Maswadeh were summoned by police this morning to give open testimony in the ongoing Qatargate probe, Channel 13 reports that a third journalist, Israel Hayom’s political commentator Shirit Avitan Cohen, has also been summoned.
The three are not suspects in the case, and were instead summoned as individuals with knowledge of the events.
Only hours after the cabinet voted unanimously on Sunday to support a boycott of the left-wing Haaretz daily, the Ministerial Committee on Legislation gave its backing to a bill mandating the privatization of the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation within two years, effectively closing down the public broadcaster.
The private member’s bill, sponsored by Likud MK Tally Gotliv, would require the government to issue a tender for the purchase of the television and radio networks controlled by the IPBC, which operates the Kan public broadcaster and Reshet Bet radio, among others.
The world court will rule on the requested additional measures in the coming days, which may include criticism of Israel as well as requests for additional monitoring reports, according to the KAN broadcaster report.
However, observers in Israel believe that no additional orders, such as a cessation of the war on Gaza, will be issued, but that the court will take a critical tone toward Israel, which is unusual, said the broadcaster.
Earlier on Monday, the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire in Gaza …