Likud used Facebook to track journalists

ISRAEL: Israel’s ruling Likud party used Facebook to track the activities and posts of certain journalists it perceives as antigovernment, a member of the party, which is headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said in a public debate.

Likud parliamentarian David Bitan, who serves as chairman of the government coalition, told the gathering that he and some friends had been following the Facebook pages of journalists hired recently to set up a new public broadcasting service.

‘‘We went and we checked the Facebook pages of these people. We saw what they are writing and I will tell you that we are talking about people who are leftist. They want to impose their own agenda on the new channel,’’ he said in the forum.

Bitan has been leading a crusade recently against the establishment of the Israel Broadcasting Corporation. The new public television and radio channel, which was slated to launch in the coming months, was approved by the government in 2014 to replace the country’s antiquated Israel Broadcasting Authority.

Last week, Netanyahu expressed his agreement with Bitan, establishing a committee to find a way to keep open the old Israel Broadcasting Authority and shutter the new media outlet. The committee will present its findings in three weeks.

The prime minister and his supporters believe the new public service channel is not working out as initially planned because there is not enough government supervision and some of the newly employed journalists are overtly critical of his government and policies.

It’s a huge U-turn for Netanyahu, who two years ago called the change ‘‘essential’’ and ‘‘necessary.’’

Despite the political wavering, intensive work breaking down the old television and radio channels has already started. Deals were reached with powerful unions and generous voluntary severance packages handed out to workers.

The new corporation has started its work, too, poaching media personalities from competing outlets and preparing content for a launch date that has already been postponed several times. The whole process has cost Israeli taxpayers millions of dollars.

And, the actions of Netanyahu, who also holds the post of Communications Minister, have come under severe scrutiny.

Critics of the prime minister maintain the new public broadcasting service should be free of political influence. They see Netanyahu’s intentions as a clear attack on press freedom. - Washington Post