Tel-Chai Nation

A new report reveals the leftist newspaper Yediot Achronot was involved in sponsoring a hostile "review" of Israel HaYom:

Could Yedioth Ahronoth be the driving force behind the anti-Israel Hayom bill? The MKs promoting the legislation proposal have adamantly denied any affiliation with Yedioth's publisher Arnon (Noni) Mozes, but some of the material presented to the Ministerial Committee on Legislation on Sunday, during its debate on the bill, refuted this assertion.

According to a report in the financial daily The Marker, a professional review presented to the committee, authored by former Israel Antitrust Authority chief economist Dr. Shlomi Prizat, was in fact sponsored by Yedioth Ahronoth -- which has vested interest in seeing the bill pass.

The anti-Israel Hayom bill aims to bar the free distribution of newspapers in Israel. The bill's language and definition of a mass-circulation free daily newspaper was tailored to target Israel Hayom specifically.

The Marker noted that Prizat's report was circulated among committee members prior to being sent to the other professionals involved in the debate, so they too could review it ahead of Sunday's meeting. [...]

Israel Hayom has, in the past, voiced its suspicions that Mozes was the driving force behind the bill, and while some ridiculed this claim, others deemed it justified. The Marker's report only substantiates Israel Hayom's claim further.

Meanwhile, an Israel Hayom poll of Yisrael Beytenu and Yesh Atid voters has found that the majority among them would like to see their elected officials vote against the bill.

Let's hope the 2 parties ponder that, because if they don't, it could jeopardize their electoral chances. As for Yediot, this is reason enough to boycott their paper for a long time and send a message. Everyone who values free speech and property rights should do so now.

Labels: Israel, Knesset, Moonbattery, political corruption