Israel's High Court of Justice ruled unanimously Thursday evening to invalidate the government's decision to shut down Galei Tzahal (Army Radio), the state-owned military broadcaster, according to The Zioneer.
The High Court of Justice ruled unanimously tonight (Thursday) to invalidate the government's decision to shut down Galei Tzahal (Army Radio). The full ruling was published at 18:59 Jerusalem, bringing a finality—at least for now—to the legal battle over the station's future. The court found that the closure order, which the government justified on budgetary grounds, was based on extraneous and invalid considerations.
The Zioneer first reported the court's decision at 18:07 Jerusalem, when the court struck down the closure order, ruling unanimously that the decision was based on an 'extraneous and improper' consideration. At the same time, additional reports detailed Justice Kasher's opinion that 'a governing authority cannot silence a broadcaster simply because it dislikes its content,' calling such a move 'clearly undemocratic.' Shortly afterward, the court also rejected the Attorney General's position that closing the station required legislation. The source quality evolved from initial headlines to detailed judicial reasoning as the evening progressed.
As The Zioneer reported at 18:46 Jerusalem, the court had previously rejected the Attorney General's claim that legislation was required for closure. The government's closure decision, announced amid budgetary constraints, was widely criticized as politically motivated against a broadcaster whose editorial stance had drawn government ire. The court's ruling emphasized that the closure was based on an 'extraneous and invalid' consideration—a reference to content-based motives.
Further details on the court's full reasoning are expected when the full ruling is published. It remains unclear whether the government will seek to legislate a closure or pursue other avenues to shut down the station.
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