Tomorrow at 11 AM, in the Jerusalem Magistrates Court, Justice Yoram Noam will hear the prosecution and defense teams in the Arutz-7 case plead their respective cases in preparation for sentencing. Ten Arutz-7 directors and staff members were convicted on Oct. 20 of broadcasting without a license, thus violating broadcast and telegraph laws, and related crimes punishable by between three and seven years. Justice Noam, it will be recalled, sentenced a man to three years in prison for tossing hot tea on then-Labor MK Yael Dayan in October 1996.
Some supporters of Arutz-7 have called on the public to recite Psalms on behalf of the ten - specifically Chapters 35, 37, and 57. The ten who were convicted are:
* Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed, Rabbi of Beit El since its inception in 1977, Dean of Yeshivat Beit El and Beit El Yeshiva Center Institutions, leading member of the Yesha Council of Rabbis, and co-founder of Arutz-7;
* His wife Shulamit Melamed, long-time educational counselor at Tzviya Girls High School, co-founder of Arutz-7, and programming director and station manager;
* Yaakov (Ketzaleh) Katz, indefatigable Executive-Director of Arutz-7 and Beit El Yeshiva Center Institutions, wounded as an IDF officer during the Yom Kippur War and bound to a wheelchair for months afterwards, founding member of the community of Beit El;
* Yoel Tzur, Director of Arutz-7, IDF battalion commander in reserves, founding member of the community of Beit El, lost his wife and son in terrorist attack in 1996;
* Haggai Segal, Arutz-7 News Director, activist on behalf of the Jewish population in Yesha and author of several books on the history of modern settlement in Yesha;
* Adir Zik, veteran fiery nationalist broadcaster;
* Gidi Sharon, veteran music broadcaster, considered one of those responsible for the revival of Sephardic (Jewish-Mideastern) music in Israel;
* David Shapira, broadcaster and director of Arutz-7's French department;
* Ya'ir Meir, engineer; and
* Sha'ul Avni, captain of Arutz-7's Eretz HaTzvi ship.
Supporters of Arutz-7 are asked to write personal letters to various Knesset Members - addressed simply to Hon. [MK's name], the Knesset, Jerusalem, Israel - requesting that they support legislation to recognize Arutz-7 as a legal radio station representing a legitimate and important sector in Israeli society.
Some supporters of Arutz-7 have called on the public to recite Psalms on behalf of the ten - specifically Chapters 35, 37, and 57. The ten who were convicted are:
* Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed, Rabbi of Beit El since its inception in 1977, Dean of Yeshivat Beit El and Beit El Yeshiva Center Institutions, leading member of the Yesha Council of Rabbis, and co-founder of Arutz-7;
* His wife Shulamit Melamed, long-time educational counselor at Tzviya Girls High School, co-founder of Arutz-7, and programming director and station manager;
* Yaakov (Ketzaleh) Katz, indefatigable Executive-Director of Arutz-7 and Beit El Yeshiva Center Institutions, wounded as an IDF officer during the Yom Kippur War and bound to a wheelchair for months afterwards, founding member of the community of Beit El;
* Yoel Tzur, Director of Arutz-7, IDF battalion commander in reserves, founding member of the community of Beit El, lost his wife and son in terrorist attack in 1996;
* Haggai Segal, Arutz-7 News Director, activist on behalf of the Jewish population in Yesha and author of several books on the history of modern settlement in Yesha;
* Adir Zik, veteran fiery nationalist broadcaster;
* Gidi Sharon, veteran music broadcaster, considered one of those responsible for the revival of Sephardic (Jewish-Mideastern) music in Israel;
* David Shapira, broadcaster and director of Arutz-7's French department;
* Ya'ir Meir, engineer; and
* Sha'ul Avni, captain of Arutz-7's Eretz HaTzvi ship.
Supporters of Arutz-7 are asked to write personal letters to various Knesset Members - addressed simply to Hon. [MK's name], the Knesset, Jerusalem, Israel - requesting that they support legislation to recognize Arutz-7 as a legal radio station representing a legitimate and important sector in Israeli society.