In one conversation between the two, Netanyahu attempted to signal to Kahlon that he was seriously considering the possibility of new elections if he did not succeed in cancelling the opening of the IPBC.
Netanyahu was heard telling Kahlon, "I went to elections over the Israel Hayom law and I'm not afraid to go to elections over the IPBC."
According to reports, Netanyahu then told Kahlon, "You know the numbers," referring to the number of seats Kahlon's party, Kulanu, has in the Knesset and the lower number they're projected to receive following new elections.
In response, Kahlon told Netanyahu, "That doesn't scare me. I can be hurt by two or three seats, but you'll never return to this chair," referring to the premiership.
In addition to the mutual exchange of threats, Netanyahu is also reported to have told Kahlon that Yesh Atid Chairman, Yair Lapid, is also cooperating with the IPBC.
The comments were revealed two days after Netanyahu and Kahlon announced that they had reached an agreement concerning the IPBC.
The compromise agreement, brokered by Finance Ministry Director General Shai Babad, Communications Ministry Director General Momo Filber and Ministers Yariv Levin and Tzachi Hanegbi, calls for a “new path” for public broadcasting in Israel, including a “general” broadcast corporation and a separate one for news and current events programming.
The new, separate news corporation is to begin broadcasting on May 15. Research programs and external content that had been planned for the IPBC will be cancelled.
Ongoing legislation to supervise the media has also been frozen as a result of the compromise.
(Translated and edited by Fred Goldberg)