Radio broadcaster Menachem Toker spoke to former Supreme Court President Aharon Barak on his show today (Monday) and confronted him about his part in the forced closure the original Arutz Sheva - Israel National News radio station in 2003.
Toker said that he worked at the radio station at the time the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Barak, struck down the law which allowed the station to broadcast. He told the former jurist about the pain the move caused at that time and wondered if anything had changed since then and if he should fear that broadcasting facilities could be closed now as Arutz Sheva was 20 years ago.
"I hope this time you will engage in a legal occupation and everything will be fine. I was not against you, only your activity was not legal. Do it again and maybe now it will be legal," said Justice Barak in response.
He added: "I don't know, maybe the circumstances have changed."
The broadcaster said he was afraid that an attempt to re-establish the station would again be prevented by the Supreme Court and Barak replied: "So many years have passed since then that things may have changed. The judges can also change their minds - and if the circumstances have changed, the result can also change."
"It is possible that my opinion has also changed regarding certain things - but not regarding this move," Barak concluded.