Arutz-7's Kobi Sela reported today that many faxes were in fact sent to the Prime Minister's office, both from Israel and from abroad, protesting Arutz-7's closure. Sharon reportedly told his aides that he would try to find a legal way to enable Arutz-7 to broadcast, and that "initial contacts" towards this goal are already underway. Until then, Arutz-7 will broadcast in its new format, i.e., via the internet and on the phone (057-777-777, in Israel; +97257-777-777, abroad).
MK Yisrael Eichler of United Torah Judaism, known for his religious but not necessarily right-wing views, had a sharp reaction to the recent events. "Not since the days of Stalin," he told Arutz-7 today, "has there been such a violent mouth-shutting as there was this week, preventing freedom of expression in this manner... They [those of the left-wing] always say that Israel must primarily be a democratic state, even more so than a Jewish one - and yet here when it comes to the most basic tenet of democracy, freedom of expression, they refuse to allow it."
Sela reported that media personality Merav Michaeli said she would support Arutz-7's bid for an "open skies" media policy, and that she would become personally involved. Finally, Sela noted, "the most heart-warming initiative on Arutz-7's behalf is the fact that there are at least two places in Israel, one in the north and one in the south, where people have opened up home-based transmitters to broadcast Arutz-7. They are tuned into Arutz-7 on the internet, and are re-broadcasting it to their neighborhoods..." Arutz-7 broadcaster Yehoshua Meiri noted that the law allows anyone to operate a low-strength transmitter from his home if its broadcasts do not reach more than a kilometer away. He said that such transmitters cost up to $300.