After too many threats
Government Moves to Shutter IDF Radio: "Top of the Agenda"
After past Defense Ministers and Chiefs of Staff have flirted with the idea, Minister Israel Katz is set to bring the closure of Galei Tzahal for Government approval on Sunday. The decision is expected to spark protests and lawsuits.
The government is set to place the proposed closure of Galei Tzahal at the top of its agenda when it meets on Monday, ahead of discussions on the state budget and senior appointments, according to the agenda circulated over the weekend.
Defense Minister Israel Katz is pushing the decision, which would see the IDF-run radio station cease broadcasting no later than March 1, 2026, ending 75 years of operation. Katz argues that a military-operated public broadcaster is incompatible with democratic norms and that Galei Tzahal’s involvement in political and current affairs drags the IDF into public and partisan disputes.
In explanatory notes accompanying the proposal, Katz said the station’s news and political programming undermines the army’s required neutrality and damages its standing as a unifying national institution. The plan would establish an implementation team within the Defense Ministry to oversee the shutdown, including the handling of assets, archives, and the termination of civilian employees under proper arrangements.
Katz would also be authorized to make a separate decision regarding Galgalatz, with the option of allowing it to continue operating as a non-news, music-only station.
The move has sparked sharp criticism. President Isaac Herzog warned against “erasing a critical democratic tool,” saying reforms may be needed but a full shutdown would be a serious mistake. The attorney general cautioned that the decision raises concerns about political interference in public broadcasting and freedom of expression.
Media organizations and civil society groups have threatened to petition the High Court, arguing that the government lacks authority to close the station without Knesset legislation. Critics also claim the professional committee recommending closure was handpicked to reach a predetermined outcome.
Army Radio officials said they were blindsided by the decision and were not given an opportunity to respond to the committee’s findings, calling the process flawed and biased.
Despite past attempts by defense ministers to rein in or reform Galei Tzahal, none have previously moved to shut it down outright.