In the front row of the Israeli Supreme Court hearing room, Raviv Drucker was focusing, arms crossed. On Thursday, July 25, the Channel 13 investigative journalist was following the debates that would decide the future of Israel's second most-watched television channel. Petitioned by the journalists' union and the Channel 13 employees' committee, the court's three judges will rule on the legality of the June appointment of Yulia Shamalov-Berkovich as news director. A former member of the Knesset (2009-2013) for the Likud-allied Kadima party, she has publicly supported Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu throughout her career.

Shamalov-Berkovich's nomination was backed by British-American businessman Len Blavatnik, owner of Channel 13 – acquired with the prime minister's approval. Journalists believe that it threatens their editorial freedom. "On the air, nothing has changed," said the new director's lawyers. In the audience, Matan Hodorov, a specialist economics columnist and president of the channel's reporters' union, protested. He first referred to the resignations of Almog Boker and Sefi Ovadia, two of the channel's iconic journalists. "Most importantly, the channel has axed 'Ezor Milhama' ('War Zone'), Raviv Drucker's investigative program!"

On July 11, Channel 13 removed the weekly hour-long investigative show from the schedule, despite its popularity and ratings – among the best on Israeli television. Speaking to Drucker – the 53-year-old editor-in-chief who became famous for his meticulous investigations into the Netanyahu clan's abuses of power and corruption – channel boss Calemczuk said he didn't understand the Israeli public's "obsession" with news programs.

Management explained that it wanted to bring "more variety" to the channel's content. But according to many journalists, the decision had more to do with the investigation that aired a month earlier, accusing Transport Minister Miri Regev of corruption. Drucker and his team had revealed that she had favored some local projects in exchange for support in the upcoming Likud primaries. "Dozens of political figures called the channel's management to block our investigation," said Drucker. The transport minister herself filed a lawsuit to prevent the program from airing. But to no avail.

More broadly, the axing of "Ezor Milhama" is emblematic of the government's efforts to bring the Israeli media to heel, something which has accelerated since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. In May, the Israeli PM signed a decree banning Qatari media outlet Al-Jazeera, considered "a threat to security" and the "mouthpiece of Hamas," throughout the country.

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