Army Radio Commander to Challenge Closure of IDF Station in High Court

The fight to save one of Israel’s most iconic media institutions is headed to the High Court.

Just days after Defense Minister Israel Katz announced his plan to shut down Army Radio (Galei Tzahal) by March 1, 2026, station commander Tal Lev-Ram confirmed he will petition the High Court of Justice to block the move. The battle promises to be as much about legal precedent as it is about Israel’s democratic values.

Katz’s decision based on recommendations from a hand-picked committee has drawn fierce criticism from across Israel’s media and legal communities. Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara warned that the closure raises serious concerns over political interference in public broadcasting and poses a threat to freedom of expression.

The Israel Press Council, headed by former Supreme Court Justice Hanan Melcer, called the move “illegitimate and illegal,” arguing that the government cannot unilaterally dismantle a public media outlet without Knesset legislation. Melcer also threatened legal action.

The Movement for Quality Government in Israel similarly vowed to petition the High Court, denouncing the closure as part of a “dangerous trend of systematically attacking the free press.” Critics fear the move is part of a broader political push to silence dissenting voices, especially as the government pursues more control over media institutions.

Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi recently pushed forward legislation that would give the government sweeping powers over public broadcasters a bill that passed its first reading despite public outcry.

Army Radio has served as a unique hybrid: a military-run station that also operates as a respected and often independent news outlet. Defense Minister Katz argues that its original mission to serve soldiers and their families has been lost to political commentary that, in his view, damages IDF morale and drags the army into political debate.

But Lev-Ram said the station was blindsided by the decision and had no opportunity to respond to the committee’s report. He alleged that the panel was formed with a predetermined outcome and operated with conflicts of interest and factual distortions. “A heavy shadow hangs over the committee’s work,” Lev-Ram said.

Past defense ministers have considered reforms, but none went as far as full closure. Some sought to adjust programming or diversify station personnel to address political bias concerns but they stopped short of erasing what many see as a national cultural treasure.

Despite its unique structure, Army Radio has earned broad respect for its journalism and has played a formative role in Israeli public discourse. That legacy now hangs in the balance.

Galgalatz, the IDF’s music and traffic station, will continue under current operations, but for Army Radio, the future is uncertain hinging now on how the High Court will interpret the complex legal and democratic issues at stake.

Army Radio has been a voice of Israel for 75 years. Whether it remains one may soon be up to the courts and the people who believe in an Israel that values diverse voices even within its defense institutions.

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