▁of ▁the ▁newsp apers ▁in ▁Israel ' s ▁pre - state ▁period ▁were ▁founded ▁as ▁ide ological ▁org ans ▁of ▁political ▁tr ends , ▁and ▁were ▁under ▁the ▁ide ological ▁authority ▁of ▁the ▁political ▁parties ▁and ▁dependent ▁on ▁their ▁financial ▁backing . ▁The ▁party ▁institutions ▁and ▁their ▁leaders ▁were ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁selection ▁process ▁for ▁the ▁sensitive ▁senior ▁positions ▁in ▁the ▁paper , ▁particularly ▁in ▁the ▁choice ▁of ▁the ▁editor ." ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁pre - state ▁y ish uv ▁period , ▁most ▁Heb rew ▁press ▁edit ors ▁felt ▁that ▁their ▁primary ▁role ▁was ▁educational , ▁to ▁help ▁in ▁the ▁state - building ▁process . ▁Such ▁values ▁as ▁freedom ▁of ▁the ▁press ▁and ▁the ▁idea ▁of ▁being ▁a ▁public ▁watch dog ▁were ▁secondary . ▁The ▁edit ors ▁of ▁the ▁Heb rew - language ▁press ▁founded ▁the ▁Re action ▁Committee ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁because , ▁as ▁they ▁stated ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁they ▁" f elt ▁the ▁need ▁for ▁guidance ▁from ▁the ▁Jewish ▁community ' s ▁leadership ▁on ▁publication ▁policy ▁concerning ▁sensitive ▁matters , ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁exp ulsion ▁of ▁ma ' ap il im ▁( il legal ▁imm igr ants ) ▁and ▁the ▁search ▁for ▁weapons ▁in ▁Heb rew ▁settlement s ". ▁ ▁Early ▁State hood ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 8 , ▁the ▁Press ▁Ord in ance ▁was ▁adopted ▁by ▁Israel ▁and ▁admin ister ed ▁by ▁the ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Inter ior ▁which ▁under to ok ▁to ▁" lic ense , ▁super v ise , ▁and ▁reg ulate " ▁the