Supreme Court says government must justify position to close Army Radio

The Supreme Court issues a conditional order against the government, requiring it to justify its decision to close Army Radio.

The decision shifts the burden of proof to the government and tells both sides to focus on whether the decision-making process and considerations were correctly followed.

The government must submit its position by no later than March 15, the court says.

In December last year, the cabinet unanimously approved Defense Minister Israel Katz’s controversial proposal to shut down Army Radio by March 1, 2026, arguing that the station’s political and current affairs programming “creates a fundamental difficulty for the IDF, stemming from the IDF’s involuntary involvement in political discourse,” and that its content “harms the Israel Defense Forces, its soldiers and its unity.”

Petitions were swiftly filed against the decision, arguing that the decision was made in order “to harm media outlets seen as critical of the government” and to “economically benefit the owners of media outlets close to the government.”

Petitioners also alleged a series of procedural flaws they said also infringed on freedom of expression and freedom of the press in Israel.