Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu today responded to the recordings published in News 13, where he is heard allegedly trying to intervene in the television market, while Minister Ayoub Kara was serving as Communications Minister.
"You tried to curse and ended up out blessing me.(a saying referring to the biblical story of Balaam, who wished to curse the Israelites, but was forced to bless them instead, ed.). Thank you for showing that Prime Minister Netanyahu fought like a lion to save Channel 20, the poor man's lamb of the Right in broadcast media, in the face of front of the Left who tried to shut it down as they tried to silence Israel Hayom and Arutz Sheva."
In the name of the Prime Minister it was further stated that "all the Prime Minister's actions are fully in line with Attorney General directives after leaving the post of Communications Minister. Here's what the Attorney General wrote: 'Netanyahu is entitled to deal with matters pertaining to the various government ministries and the fact that he no longer serves as Communications Minister still does not deny him involvement in the media in his function as prime minister.' In other words, the Prime Minister was perfectly allowed to engage in the actions presented by him, as he had fought his entire life for a variety of opinions in the communications market - an inexcusable sin in the eyes of his opponents. The only restrictions imposed on the Prime Minister are in relation to Ilovitch and Bezeq - an area in which the Prime Minister did not deal after the Attorney General's directive."
In the recording, Netanyahu scolds Communications Minister Ayoub Kara and asks, "Have you gone mad?", After news was published that attributed an achievement in the media field to Kara and former Minister Ayelet Shaked.
Netanyahu is heard on the same recordings calling on the cable and satellite council to be canceled and to promote news broadcasts on Channel 20, after he was forced to give up the media portfolio.