The Israeli media watchdog group Tadmit has complained to Army Radio, saying a recent IDF initiative asking soldiers to rate the best Israeli songs discriminated against religious soldiers. Some of the songs were played on the Sabbath, the group explained, when Jewish law prohibits the use of radios, televisions, and computers. Religious soldiers were thus excluded from the voting process, the group said.
IDF spokesmen said the song contest had ended at 3 p.m. on Friday, May 2, hours before the Sabbath began. Some songs were played on the Sabbath during the semifinals, they said, but the list of songs was later available in the IDF magazine HaMahane and on the Army Radio website for soldiers interested in voting.