The Supreme Court of Israel has suspended the closure of military radio stations

The Supreme Court of Israel has issued a provisional ruling to suspend the government's decision to shut down Galei Tsahal, a military radio station with a decades-old history and extremely high listenership.

AFP reported that according to the ruling made by the Supreme Court late Sunday night (December 28), Chief Justice Amit said that part of the reason for the suspension decision was that the government "failed to clearly commit to not taking any irreversible measures before the court made the final ruling."

The Israeli cabinet approved the closure of the Israel Defense Forces radio station last week. The closure plan was originally scheduled to take effect before March 1, 2026.

The Israel Defense Forces Radio was established in 1950 and is renowned for its flagship news programs, having long attracted the attention of journalists both at home and abroad. A government audience survey shows that this radio station is the third most listened to radio station in Israel, with a market share of 17.7%, demonstrating its wide influence among the public.

Prime Minister Netanyahu had previously urged cabinet ministers to support the closure of the radio station, noting that over the years, there had been multiple proposals to separate the station from the military system, dismantle it or privatize it.

But Attorney General Miara warned that the closure of the radio station raised "concerns that public broadcasting might be subject to political interference." She added that this move "involves the issue of whether freedom of speech and freedom of the press have been violated."

Defense Minister Katz said last week that the "Israel Defense Forces Radio" broadcasts "political and divisive content", which is inconsistent with the values of the military. He said that soldiers, civilians and the families of the victims had complained that the radio station failed to represent their voices and had weakened morale and war efforts. Katz also believes that radio stations operated by the military but broadcast to the public are an anomaly in democratic countries.