The Israeli authorities They confiscated on Tuesday a camera crew belonging to the Associated Press (AP). The allegation is that the news agency broke the law by offering a live broadcast to the Al Jazeera television network, reported AP and the Israeli Ministry of Communications.
The lawapproved in April, allows the Government to order foreign broadcasters the temporary cessation of its operations for reasons of national security.
Equipment confiscated from AP by Israeli authorities
He Ministry of communications of Israel said in a statement that equipment had been confiscated from the AP position in the Israeli city of Sderot. According to the statement, last week AP was told it was prohibited from providing images to Al Jazeerabut AP kept doing it.
“Confiscated camera illegally broadcasts live northern Gaza Strip via Al Jazeera TVincluding the activity of the Israel Defense Forces, and endangers our fighters,” the organization said, referring to the Israel Defense Forces.
The mandatory request to close the transmission of Israeli officials to AP journalists
The White House called the incident “troubling.” Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the White House would study the situation and believed journalists had the right to do their jobs.
The AP said in a statement that it had been ordered to shut down a live broadcast showing a view of Gaza. from the Israeli city of Sderot, and stated that the order was not based on content “but rather on a Israeli government’s abusive use of new foreign broadcasting law from the country”. AP urged authorities to return his equipment and allow him to restore live broadcasting. On May 16, he received a verbal order to interrupt the broadcast, but he refused to comply. He didn’t give any reason.
“The Associated Press condemns in the strongest terms the Israeli government’s actions in shutting down our long-running live broadcast showing a view of Gaza and confiscating AP equipment,” said AP spokeswoman Lauren Easton. AP stated that it had complied with military censorship rules prohibiting the retransmission of details such as troop movements that could endanger soldiers. He said the live footage had generally shown smoke rising over Gaza.
Like AP, Reuters also broadcasts live from positions around Gaza to clients around the world, including Al Jazeera.
The operations that were also closed
Beginnings of May, Israel shut down Al Jazeera operations owned by Qatar, citing national security reasons, and said they would remain closed for the duration of the Gaza war. Al Jazeera criticized the measure and called it a “dangerous and ridiculous lie” the accusation that he threatened Israeli security. When asked about the incident by AP on Tuesday, he did not comment on it.
The spokespersons for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office and the Ministry of Communications did not respond. immediately respond to requests for comment.
Source: Ambito
