The decision to close the military radio station Galei Tzahal will be presented today (Monday) for approval at a government meeting.
A legal opinion sent to Defense Minister Israel Katz on behalf of the Office of the Attorney General, Attorney Gali Baharav-Miara, states - not surprisingly - that the decision-makers' proposal to close the Gali IDF station "does not meet the required legal standards," and therefore "cannot be advanced in its current form.".
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The document was drafted by the three deputy attorneys general - Attorney Amit Marari, Attorney Gil Limon, and Attorney Shaul Shefi - and refers to the decision-makers' proposal that seeks to order the IDF to stop the station's broadcasts.
According to the opinion, the operation of Galei Tzahal is not anchored in legislation, but rather stems from a policy that has been formed over the years in the IDF and the Ministry of Defense. However, the opinion emphasizes that a proposal to stop the broadcasts cannot be accepted as a purely administrative measure, and without appropriate legislative anchoring.
The document includes extensive criticism of the proposal's format: it is claimed that it lacks sufficient staff work, is based solely on budgetary considerations, and does not include an analysis of the public, ethical, and democratic implications of ending the station's broadcasts.
Furthermore, according to the Ombudsman, the proposal was not accompanied by an examination of civilian alternatives for operating the station, and no preliminary public discourse took place on the subject.
According to the attorney general, the proposal to close the station is part of an overall move to restrict freedom of expression, including concerns about foreign considerations: "Part of an overall move to harm public broadcasting in Israel and to restrict freedom of expression. (The proposal) is not supported by the required factual and professional infrastructure, and concerns arise that it is tainted by foreign considerations and its promotion is contrary to the law.".
The summary reads: "The decision-makers' proposal in its current form does not meet the required legal standards, and cannot be advanced in this form. Under the aforementioned circumstances, it is proposed that a dialogue be held with the Minister of Defense on the subject in order to clarify the various aspects to him and examine the relevant alternatives for further examination of the issue," the statement reads.
