High Court of Justice Freezes Government Decision to Close the army radio station Galei Tzahal

 The High Court of Justice on Sunday ordered a freeze on the government’s decision to close Galei Tzahal, Israel’s military radio station, citing the far-reaching and potentially irreversible consequences of the move.

Supreme Court President Justice Yitzhak Amit issued the decision shortly after Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara informed the court that any steps toward closure should be halted until the petitions against the decision are resolved.

“This decision is given, among other things, in light of the fact that the government’s response did not include an explicit commitment to refrain from irreversible actions until the legal process is concluded,” Justice Amit wrote, signaling deep concern over the government’s conduct.

Attorney General: Decision ‘Fraught With Flaws’

In her formal response to a request for an interim order, Baharav-Miara stated that the decision to close Galei Tzahal raises serious legal problems and should not be implemented at this stage.

“The steps to close Galei Tzahal must be frozen until the court rules on the petitions,” she wrote. “The decision is fraught with flaws, and a hearing on the matter is expected soon. The damage that would result from advancing the closure is significant and irreversible.”

Her position marked a rare and explicit warning against immediate implementation of a government decision, reinforcing concerns about the legality and proportionality of the move.

Civil Groups Hail ‘Victory for Free Expression’

The Movement for Quality Government welcomed the High Court’s decision, calling it “a significant and important victory for freedom of expression and media independence.”

“The attorney general herself supported freezing the decision and pointed to its severe implications,” the organization said in a statement. “This strengthens our position that the decision is unlawful and tainted by foreign and political considerations.”

The group vowed to continue its legal battle until the decision is fully overturned, adding that halting the closure is “only the first step.”

“The government must not be allowed to take control of the free media in Israel,” the statement said. “We will demand that the High Court determine the decision was made without authority and based on extraneous considerations.”

Additional Petitioners Join Legal Fight

Earlier Sunday, the nonprofit organizations Success – For the Promotion of a Fair Society and the Movement for Fair Regulation, together with bereaved fathers Zvika Greenglick and Moshe Shapira, submitted a request to join the legal proceedings as petitioners.

Their request joins four petitions already filed against the closure decision, including petitions by the Journalists’ Association, the Movement for Quality Government, and former Galei Tzahal commanders. Legal sources estimate the High Court will consolidate all petitions into a single hearing.

The new petition highlights what the applicants describe as fundamental flaws in the decision-making process, legal doubts regarding authority, and deficiencies in the factual basis for closing the station. It also warns of irreversible harm to Galei Tzahal’s operations and to the public interest.

Government-Approved Closure Last Week

The legal challenge follows the government’s unanimous approval last week of a proposal by Defense Minister Yisrael Katz to shut down the military radio station.

At the cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the move, saying: “We are bringing the defense minister’s proposal to cancel Galei Tzahal — a military station that broadcasts under the authority of the army. As far as I know, this model exists in North Korea and perhaps a few other countries, and we certainly do not want to be counted among them.”

Netanyahu added that he was open to alternatives, including privatization, citing his belief in competition. “The time has come,” he said. “It would have been nice to do this an hour earlier.”

Next Steps

With the interim freeze now in place, the High Court is expected to set a date for a consolidated hearing on the petitions in the coming weeks. Until then, the government is barred from advancing any steps toward closing Galei Tzahal, as the legal battle over the station’s future intensifies.