Second Authority Approves Merit Takeover of Reshet 13

The Second Authority Council approved transferring control of Reshet 13 to the Merit Fund, backed by Wiz founders Assaf Rappaport and Yinon Costica. The regulator said it reviewed the ownership structure, funding sources and buyers' commitments, and imposed transparency, oversight and financial-buffer requirements to protect the broadcaster's independence and local-content investment. The approval cleared the final regulatory hurdle after months of legal conflict over the council's composition. Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi called the decision unlawful, while the High Court had authorized the outgoing council to keep acting.