Army Radio staff claims consultant contracts frozen; Defense Ministry issues denial

Army Radio employees said that dozens of presenters at the IDF-run broadcaster and its sister music station Galgalatz were informed their employment would be frozen “as early as next week,” prompting a denial of the directive from the Defense Ministry.

The dispute comes two days after the cabinet unanimously approved Defense Minister Israel Katz’s proposal to shut down Army Radio, with broadcasts set to end by March 1.

In a statement circulated by staff, the presenters – who are employed as contractors – said the freezing of the employment amounted to the station’s de facto dismantling in the coming days.

The Defense Ministry, however, denies the reports, saying it has issued no instruction to terminate the employment of civilian workers at Army Radio. In a statement, the ministry says it is currently engaged in its routine annual process of extending contracts that expire at the end of December.

According to the ministry, the contracts will be extended through February 28, 2026 – the date set for the station’s closure.

Following the vote earlier this week, Katz ordered the IDF to immediately begin winding down the station’s operations, including halting recruitment and selection processes, stopping the assignment of conscripted and reserve soldiers to the unit and beginning preparations to reassign soldiers currently serving there to other IDF roles.

Katz also instructed Defense Ministry Director General Amir Baram to assist civilian employees at the station and terminate their employment in accordance with the law, while canceling contracts with civilian journalists and ending the station’s use of its facilities.