Dr. Iris Soroker: Don't shut down the microphone
Dr. Iris Soroker writes about the film "Waves of Hope" and draws a parallel between the suppression of free radio in Prague in 1968 and the Israeli government's December 2025 decision to shut down Galei Tzahal, which was overturned by the High Court in August 2026. She calls on citizens to engage in nonviolent protest to protect freedom of speech.
Dr. Iris Soroker, a retired judge, writes an opinion piece linking the film "Waves of Hope" (Waves) about the Prague Spring of 1968 to the decision to shut down Galei Tzahal. The film depicts Czech journalists struggling to broadcast the truth under a repressive Soviet regime, with violent suppression of free radio. Soroker notes that in December 2025, the government decided to close Galei Tzahal, but in August 2026, the High Court overturned the decision. Justice Yechiel Kasher ruled that Ministers Karhi and Katz acted from an improper motive of silencing political criticism. Soroker calls on citizens to learn from the Czechs and engage in nonviolent civil protest to protect press and speech freedom.