WAHINGTON, Tuesday, May 21, 2024 (WAFA) - Israeli officials seized a camera and broadcasting equipment belonging to The Associated Press (AP) in southern Israel, accusing the news organization of violating a new media law by providing images to Al Jazeera, according to AP.
“The Associated Press decries in the strongest terms the actions of the Israeli government to shut down our longstanding live feed showing a view into Gaza and seize AP equipment,” said Lauren Easton, vice president of corporate communications at the news organization. “The shutdown was not based on the content of the feed but rather an abusive use by the Israeli government of the country’s new foreign broadcaster law.”
“Israel’s move today is a slippery slope,” the Foreign Press Association said in a statement, warning that the law “could allow Israel to block media coverage of virtually any news event on vague security grounds,” reported AP.
“Officials from the Communications Ministry arrived at the AP location in the southern town of Sderot on Tuesday afternoon and seized the equipment. They handed the AP a piece of paper, signed by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, alleging it was violating the country’s foreign broadcaster law,” said AP.
AP said it was verbally ordered to cease the live transmission last Thursday, which it refused to do.
The White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the U.S. was looking into what happened and that it was essential for journalists to be allowed to do their jobs.
According to AP, the Qatar-based Al Jazeera is one of thousands of AP customers, and it receives live video from AP and other news organizations.
Israeli officials used the new law on May 5 to close down the offices of Qatar-based Al Jazeera, confiscating its equipment, banning its broadcasts and blocking its websites, added AP.
The Biden administration, journalism organizations and an Israeli opposition leader, Yair Lapid, put pressure on the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after officials seized the AP equipment.
AP quoted Israel’s opposition leader Yair Lapid’s statement following the Israeli move against AP, calling it “an act of madness.”
“This is not Al Jazeera. This is an American news outlet,” he said. “This government acts as if it has decided to make sure at any cost that Israel will be shunned all over the world.”
Meanwhile, the Spokesman for the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, Stéphane Dujarric de la Rivière, described the Israeli move as “Shocking.”
Israel’s Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi later ordered the equipment to be returned, reported AP.
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