Katz Vows to Revisit Army Radio After Election Win

Defense Minister Israel Katz responded Thursday to the High Court of Justice's decision overturning the government's plan to close Galei Tzahal, Israel's military radio station. While expressing strong disagreement with the ruling, Katz indicated that further action on the matter would wait until after the upcoming elections.

"I completely disagree with the High Court's decision to invalidate the government's decision on closing Galei Tzahal, on the grounds that 'the decision was made based on an extraneous and improper consideration,' and with the court placing its judgment above that of the elected government ministers, who unanimously believed there is no place for a civilian radio station with political content within the IDF," Katz stated.

However, the defense minister noted that "since the High Court determined that the government was authorized to make the decision and rejected the claim that closing Galei Tzahal required primary legislation, when we win the elections, God willing, and receive the public's trust anew, we will complete handling this matter."

In the ruling released Thursday evening, the High Court unanimously struck down the government's decision to shut down the IDF's Galei Tzahal radio station. The three-judge panel, Justices Assa Kasher, Alex Stein, and Dafna Barak-Erez, explained that the decision was based on an improper consideration: dissatisfaction among decision-makers that the broadcasts, in their perception, contradicted their positions.

In their written opinion, the justices stated they were factually convinced this had occurred, and emphasized that the government failed to prove otherwise after a conditional order was issued. The court found that the government had the authority to make a decision on the matter and rejected arguments that closing Galei Tzahal required primary legislation. All three justices, each for their own reasons, clarified that they do not rule out the possibility of closing Galei Tzahal in principle, if such a decision were made properly and based on substantive considerations, and that they are not taking a position regarding the content of the broadcasts themselves.