Overview
- The High Court of Justice unanimously nullified the cabinet’s December plan to close Galei Tzahal, saying officials acted because they disliked the station’s broadcasts on Thursday, August 20.
- The justices concluded the cabinet decision was based on an “extraneous and improper consideration,” with Justice Yechiel Kasher warning that officials may not use power to silence broadcasters they dislike.
- The court held the government does have the authority to close the military broadcaster but ruled such a move does not require new primary legislation and must follow a proper evidentiary and procedural process.
- Senior ministers including Itamar Ben-Gvir and Israel Katz sharply condemned the ruling as judicial overreach, renewed calls for broad judicial reform, and said the government may revisit policy if it regains political support.
- The decision puts the long-running debate over a military-run station, the proper boundary between the IDF and political life, and the role of judicial review in the center of Israel’s public and election-year politics while leaving open a lawful route to close the station in the future.