The Media Line: High Court Freezes Government Move To Shut Down Army Radio Pending Legal Review 

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High Court Freezes Government Move To Shut Down Army Radio Pending Legal Review

By The Media Line Staff

Israel’s High Court on Sunday temporarily halted the government’s plan to shut down Army Radio, issuing an injunction that freezes the move until petitions challenging the decision are heard.

Chief Justice Yitzhak Amit granted the order following a legal opinion submitted by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who urged the court to intervene immediately. In his ruling, Amit said the government’s decision must be suspended in full, citing concerns that irreversible steps could be taken before judicial review is completed.

 “I have reached the conclusion that the request should be granted, and that the government decision should be frozen in all its implications, until a further decision,” Amit wrote. He added that the ruling was issued, among other reasons, because “the government’s response did not include an explicit commitment to refrain from irreversible actions until the legal proceedings are concluded.”

The proposed closure of Army Radio, formally known as Galei Tzahal, was announced in November by Defense Minister Israel Katz. At the time, Katz argued that the station’s editorial approach conflicted with its military mandate, saying its “civilian-style journalism harms the war effort and morale” and violates the principle of nonpartisanship within the armed forces.

Legal challenges and public criticism followed the move. Petitioners warned that shutting down the 75-year-old broadcaster would cause lasting harm to press freedom and public discourse. The Movement for Quality Government in Israel argued that the decision was driven by improper considerations, claiming it was undertaken out of “ulterior motives” and would undermine democratic norms.

Among the central claims raised in the petitions is that closing a publicly funded broadcaster requires primary legislation rather than a Cabinet decision, making the government’s approach legally deficient.

In her submission to the court earlier Sunday, Baharav-Miara sharply criticized the decision-making process behind the proposed shutdown. She warned that the consequences of proceeding could not be undone, writing that “the damage that would be caused by taking steps to close the station is significant and irreversible.”

Baharav-Miara also questioned the integrity of the process that led to the recommendation, stating that “there is a serious concern that the closure of the station constitutes a goal that was marked in advance.” She said those concerns were heightened by “the significant question marks that arise regarding the factual and professional basis laid by the advisory committee to support its recommendations.”

The injunction leaves Army Radio operating as usual while the High Court considers the petitions, setting the stage for a broader legal battle over the government’s authority and the future of one of Israel’s most prominent media institutions.