A battle for the soul of Israeli democracy is unfolding in a corporate boardroom. The Union of Journalists in Israel has launched a desperate rearguard action to stop British billionaire Sir Leonard Blavatnik from selling a pivotal stake in Channel 13 to media tycoon Patrick Drahi, warning that the deal could silence one of the few remaining critics of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Channel 13 has long been a thorn in the side of the Netanyahu administration, airing dogged investigations into the Prime Minister’s financial dealings and government conduct. Blavatnik’s decision to offload his 15 per cent stake is viewed not as a business transaction, but as a capitulation. The buyer, Patrick Drahi, is the owner of the rival i24News and the Hot cable network—outlets widely perceived as sympathetic, if not subservient, to the current government. Journalists fear this is a "hostile takeover" in slow motion, designed to neuter the channel’s editorial independence ahead of upcoming elections.

The Oligarch Connection

The proposed sale has set off alarm bells across Israel’s civil society. Drahi, a French-Israeli telecoms magnate, is already embroiled in debt battles in the US, but in Israel, his media empire is expanding. Critics argue that by acquiring Blavatnik’s stake, he would become the de facto controlling power at Channel 13, as Blavatnik has reportedly ceased investing after years of losses. The fear is that Drahi will align the channel’s tone with his other assets, creating a media landscape dominated by pro-government voices.

"This is an unlawful deal which is likely to further erode press freedom," the Union of Journalists stated bluntly. They describe it as part of a "master plan to capture the media," a strategy attributed to Netanyahu’s inner circle to insulate the government from scrutiny. The Union has appealed directly to Blavatnik, invoking his reputation as a philanthropist to halt a deal that they say would betray the public interest.

• The Monopoly Threat: Competition laws technically limit Drahi’s ownership, but the Union argues that his financial leverage will give him total control over content, bypassing regulatory intent.
• Journalistic Integrity: Channel 13’s reporters have been at the forefront of holding power to account. A shift in ownership could lead to self-censorship, firings, and a softening of the channel’s investigative edge.
• The Bigger Picture: This struggle mirrors global trends where independent media is slowly suffocated by the concentration of ownership in the hands of politically aligned tycoons.

Democracy in the Dark

As the deal awaits regulatory approval, the mood in the Channel 13 newsroom is one of existential dread. Anat Saragusti, overseeing press freedom for the Union, called it a "lose-lose for the Israeli public." If the sale goes through, Israel risks losing a vital check on power. In a country deeply divided, the silencing of a major critical voice would not just be a business merger; it would be a darkening of the democratic light.