The Defense Ministry is working on a new order that will allow soldiers working at the Army Radio station to continue work on the Sabbath. The order will circumvent rules that allow soldiers to perform only those activities necessary to protect or save human life on the Sabbath on the army's behalf.
The new order will be written in response to a motion filed before the High Court of Justice by the Legal Forum for the Land of Israel. The forum argued that Army Radio should be forced to close on the Sabbath and on holidays, and is required to do so by the laws regulating IDF activity on days when Jewish law prohibits creative work.
The radio programming is not vital to state security, Forum attorneys argued. “It's not clear how the radio station's broadcasts, which primarily reach civilians, and for the most part are not about army-related subjects, are part of the war effort,” they said. They suggested that if senior IDF officers wished to keep the station open on the Sabbath, they employ civilians and not soldiers serving their legally required army service.
The Legal Forum filed a suit three months ago against Defense Minister Ehud Barak, IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi and the top supervisors of IDF radio.
State attorneys argued that IDF radio should be exempt from laws governing activities on the Sabbath due to its “special nature.” The radio has a responsibility to continue broadcasting every day because it is one of the country's main sources of news, they said. The station must operate in order to “maintain its relevance for the public on weekends and holidays as well.”
Attorneys also argued that the station has a responsibility to entertain soldiers. Many soldiers remain on duty every Sabbath day, and the station must provide for their needs, they said.
The attorneys admitted that the operation of the Army Radio station on the Sabbath and holidays has been legally problematic and remains so at this time. However, they said, a new order is being written that will allow the Sabbath work, therefore there is no need to continue hearing the motion started by the Legal Forum.