Jerusalem
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The Israeli government has approved the closure of the country’s Army Radio, which has been broadcasting for 75 years, amid growing concerns over press freedom, shutting down one of Israel’s oldest media institutions.
Under the proposal, submitted by Defense Minister Israel Katz, the base, known as Galei Tzahar, would cease operations on March 1.
The resolution was passed unanimously at the weekly Cabinet meeting on Monday, despite opposition from Attorney General Ghari Baharahu Miara. In an official memo, she warned that the decision lacked the necessary factual and professional basis and that proceeding with it would be against the law.
“This decision is part of a broader move to weaken Israel’s public broadcaster and restrict freedom of expression,” Baharav Miara, who is not a cabinet member, said in a statement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the decision, saying, “There are military broadcasters in North Korea and probably several other countries that broadcast under the authority of the military, and we absolutely do not want to be counted among them.”
The Israel Press Council, the Israel Journalists Union and other civil society groups said they would challenge the decision in the Supreme Court.
Last month, Katz announced his intention to shut down Army Radio amid a broader government push to tighten control over the media sector. The push includes a sweeping overhaul of broadcasting regulations that would give the government sweeping powers to fine and sanction news organizations.
Military-run broadcasters are legally part of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and are overseen by the Chief of Staff. However, it has a vibrant news department run by both military and civilian journalists, and hosts some of the most popular political talk shows in the country. Some journalists regularly criticize politicians and the military.
Katz is not the first defense secretary to dislike Army Radio’s journalistic tone, with others previously floating the idea of shutting down or restructuring the station. But he was the first to act, convening what critics called a select committee of people politically aligned with the government and recommending that the station be shut down or converted to a different model, without any substantive news or political content.
“The reality that a radio station serving all citizens of this state is run by the military is an anomaly that does not exist in a democratic country,” Katz said in a statement.
“This extraordinary situation is causing great difficulties for the IDF due to its unwilling involvement in political discussions. The agency’s involvement in political content undermines the Israel Defense Forces, its soldiers, and its unity.”
Opposition leader Yair Lapid condemned the decision, saying: “It is part of the government’s campaign to abolish free speech in Israel in an election year. They cannot control reality, so they try to control consciousness. If there is a truth that is inconvenient for the government, they will act to eliminate it.”
“The government is shutting down the media because it doesn’t know how to deal with the disregard for cost of living and security,” he said.
In another controversial move, parliament on Monday approved a national security bill that expands the government’s powers to shut down foreign media operating in Israel. 22 MPs supported the bill and 10 opposed it.
The bill, commonly referred to as the “Al Jazeera Law,” gives the communications minister, with the prime minister’s approval, the power to shut down foreign media outlets if their content poses a “concrete threat to national security.”
The bill extends powers previously established as an interim measure in April 2024 during the Gaza conflict, when the government moved to shut down Al Jazeera’s operations in Israel for what Israeli officials said was hostile and biased coverage of the Gaza conflict, support for Hamas, and abetting terrorism. The Qatar-based network called the office closures a “criminal act” and critics described the move as a “dark day for democracy”.
The newly passed bill extends these powers until the end of 2027 and applies even when Israel is not in a state of emergency or war. An earlier version of the bill removed the requirement for judicial oversight, but it has been amended in recent weeks to mean decisions to shut down foreign media outlets remain subject to judicial oversight.
