Left-wing Activist's Show on Israeli Army Radio Nixed After Right-wing Pressure Campaign

Green, who heads an Arab-Israeli grassroots movement and intended to discuss the occupation and Arab society, sensed from the program department head's apology that 'she was pushed to decide this and appeared uncomfortable with it'Israeli Army Radio succumbed to pressure from right-wing activists and canceled the scheduled broadcast of a program featuring left-wing activist Alon-Lee Green. This decision was made mere hours before the intended airing on Friday. The station justified the cancellation by pointing to Green's previous criticisms of IDF soldiers, even though the complaints received from right-wing activists did not include specific examples of such statements.

However, Green maintained that the program, which had been recently recorded, covered a range of subjects. These topics encompassed the recent incident involving the killing of a Palestinian in Burqa, as well as the decision by far-right Finance Minister Bezelel Smotrich to divert funding away from the Arab society. Greem said that all of these subjects had been approved in advance by the station.

Alon-Lee Green holds the role of co-director and is a founding member of the Jewish-Arab movement "Standing Together." He clarified that the station extended an invitation to him a few days prior to host the weekly program "Shesh Beshishi." This show follows a format where a different host is featured each week, giving them the autonomy to choose the topics for discussion.

Green said, "I'm a frequent guest on the station and believed they invited me due to their aim for diversity and pluralism by involving individuals with a wide array of opinions. I sent the production my list of clear topics last Wednesday, which touched on the occupation, the Burqa incident, Minister Smotrich's decision, and the climate crisis. They responded positively. On Thursday, I recorded the program with an IDF military producer present. I was told it turned...