Defense Minister Israel Katz released a full statement Thursday evening expressing complete disagreement with the High Court ruling that overturned the government's decision to close IDF radio station Galei Tzahal, vowing to complete the closure after the next elections if his party secures a renewed mandate, according to the Defense Minister's office.
Defense Minister Israel Katz released the full text of his statement Thursday evening, formalizing his complete disagreement with the High Court of Justice ruling that invalidated the government's decision to close IDF Army Radio (Galei Tzahal). In the statement, Katz reiterated that the government holds the authority to close the station and accused the court of replacing the elected ministers' judgment with its own. He specifically noted that the court acknowledged the government was authorized to make the decision and dismissed the claim that the closure required primary legislation. "When we win the elections, God willing, and receive the public's trust anew, we will complete the handling of the matter," Katz said.
Earlier tonight, at 18:08 Jerusalem, The Zioneer first reported the High Court's annulment of the closure decision and then Katz's initial vow to see it through after the next elections, as quoted in Israel Hayom. The release of the official statement from the Defense Minister's office now formalizes that pledge, moving from a media report to a direct, on-the-record government communication.
The development unfolds amid a broader confrontation between the government and the judiciary over media regulation. As The Zioneer has reported, the government is also resisting a separate High Court order regarding the Second Authority for Television and Radio, with Minister Zeev Elkin calling that ruling "scandalous." In a related matter, Justice Kasher, who authored the Galei Tzahal ruling, set a stringent standard against using executive power to silence outlets based on political dissatisfaction with content, as The Zioneer reported in its profile of the justice.
The legal and political battle over Galei Tzahal's future continues. While Katz has vowed to pursue closure after elections, the implementation depends on his party securing a renewed mandate. The separate confrontation over the Second Authority remains unresolved, with the government's defiance drawing sharp criticism from legal officials and opposition figures.
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