State says Army Radio workers lied on affidavits to halt station’s closure

The Defense Ministry accuses the Army Radio labor union of submitting false affidavits to the High Court of Justice as part of a bid to secure an interim injunction against the government’s decision to shutter the station.

In a court filing responding to the injunction request, David Peter, representing the state and the Defense Ministry, says affidavits submitted by the union claiming that dozens of civilian show hosts at Army Radio and its sister station Galgalatz had been told their employment would be frozen within days last week were “false” and aimed at securing temporary relief without a full hearing.

According to the state’s response, no directive had been issued to stop employing civilian workers. Instead, it says the Defense Ministry is extending existing contracts expiring at the end of the year through February 28, 2026, in line with the government decision to shutter the IDF-run broadcaster by March 1, following a unanimous cabinet vote approving a proposal by Defense Minister Israel Katz.

Therefore, Peter asserts that “no material change in circumstances” occurred.

The response follows a Channel 12 report that the workers’ injunction request included a sworn affidavit from a station employee claiming they were told the Defense Ministry’s legal counsel had ordered all contact with outside employees in the hiring process to cease as of January 1.

Peter rejects the allegation outright, writing in the state’s response that “none of this ever happened.”