Watchdog Petitions High Court Over Army Radio Shutdown
An Israeli government watchdog group filed a petition in the High Court on Monday, objecting to the government’s decision to close down Army Radio (Galei Tzahal), The Times of Israel reports.
The Movement for Quality Government in Israel claimed that the decision to shutter Army Radio was undertaken out of “ulterior motives” and will curtail freedom of the press.
The petition also argued that legislation was required to shut down the public broadcaster, not merely a Cabinet decision.
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The government on Sunday approved the closure of Army Radio (Galei Tzahal), effective March 1, 2026, after 75 years of broadcasting.
The closing down of the military-run broadcaster was encouraged by Defense Minister Israel Katz, who announced the move in November.
At the time, Katz said that its “civilian-style journalism harms the war effort and morale” and was not in keeping with the military principle of nonpartisanship.
He added that the station was no longer fulfilling its traditional role as a platform for soldiers and families and was instead a vehicle for airing political opinions.
The petition seeks to halt the closure of Army Radio until the High Court rules on the issue.
