With uncertainty surrounding another Iran war and the future of Gaza, it’s not surprising that one of the most significant crises in Israel’s history – the future of freedom of the press – is falling between the cracks among the public at large. It definitely should not.

I care deeply about media trends and follow them closely. This is only natural; after all, I was involved in countless spokesperson activities for Israel during my 40 years as a civil servant. As if to prepare for my eventual career, I followed a strict newspaper-reading regimen beginning in the 4th grade, acquired a university degree in journalism and worked as a reporter.

If my background has taught me anything, it is that Israel’s current media crisis points to a critical weakness of our society: the lack of a culture of consensus regarding freedom of the press. If we fail to quickly rectify this at the deepest possible level, we doom ourselves to worsening domestic unrest.

Growing up in the US, the sanctity of freedom of speech and of the press – as anchored in the First Amendment of the Constitution – was drilled into my head from an early age. Compare that with the experiences of my Israel-raised family: little or no mention of these in the school........

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