Israel accused of silencing unbiased journalism by seizing AP equipment
Israel sparked outrage on Tuesday, May 21, over the seizure of Associated Press (AP) equipment in the southern Israeli town of Sderot, overlooking the northern Gaza strip. The AP stated that officers from the Israeli Communications ministry had arrived into the town shortly after journalists on scene began a live stream of the northern Gaza strip.
The officials arrived with an order signed by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, to seize the equipment of Associated Press journalists, citing violations of the country’s newly established media laws by providing information and images of IDF (Israeli Defence Force) movements in Northern Gaza to Qatari news channel Al Jazeera.
Previously Israeli cabinet unanimously voted to stop Al Jazeera broadcast into country on May 6, due to its blatant criticism of Israel’s war in Gaza. Since its launch in 1996, the channel has become notorious for challenging world authorities on contradictory views about the state of affairs.
Associated Press officials responded strongly to the seizure of equipment, stating the move was a bid by Israel to impose total media censorship on the war-torn region. They also highlighted that Al Jazeera is among the thousands of news agencies worldwide that depend on the AP for live video feed and syndicated news reports.
Vice president of corporate communication of Associated Press, Lauren Easton said, “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 our equipment.”
She added, “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. We urge the Israeli authorities to return our equipment and enable us to reinstate our live feed immediately so we can continue to provide this important visual journalism to thousands of media outlets around the world.”
Israel’s media censorship on AP draws the White House’s Ire
Israel’s seizure of Associated Press equipment drew criticism from the White House (WH), with U.S. Press Secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre stating that the U.S. was “looking into” the incident and reiterated that journalists have a duty to do their jobs under any circumstances.
The agency had received a verbal order from the Israeli Ministry of Communications to refrain from broadcasting live views of Gaza, but the agency had refused to acknowledge the order.
Agency officials stated that they were compliant with Israel’s military censorship rule that prohibits news organisations from broadcasting details of IDF troop movements that could jeopardize the lives of Israeli soldiers but maintained that the live broadcast of northern Gaza prior to the seizure generally showed a column of smoke rising over the region, with no IDF troops in view.
Israel’s opposition leader Yair Lapid had also criticized the Israeli government of PM Benjamin Netanyahu for its stringent restrictions on press freedom in the country. He said, ‘This is not Al Jazeera. This is an American news outlet.”
He added “That this government acts as if it has decided to make sure at any cost that Israel will be shunned all over the world.”
Following collective criticism from foreign media organisations, political leaders and a brief intervention by the White House, Israel’s communications minister Shlomo Karhi (who had signed the order of equipment seizure of Associated Press in the first place) announced hours after the incident that the government officials had been instructed to return the broadcasting equipment and a camera that had been seized from the Associated Press on Tuesday.
Vice Prez for corporate communications of Associated Press, Lauren Easton said, “While we are pleased with this development, we remain concerned about the Israeli government’s use of the foreign broadcaster law and the ability of independent journalists to operate freely in Israel.”
Foreign Media Organisations raise alarms over Israel’s snub of Al Jazeera
Since the new media law came into power on May 5 in Israel, the Qatari satellite channel, Al Jazeera has seen its offices and outlets in the country forcibly shut by IDF. The channel often publishes controversial stories about the Israeli governments totalitarian approach in Gaza, and the reports of mass genocide and reckless airstrikes on civilian, humanitarian and press agencies.
Amid the ongoing war in Gaza, Al Jazeera has been one of the few media organisations that continued live broadcasting of the Gaza conflict, despite Israel’s objections.
Al Jazeera is one of the thousands of news organisations that regularly depend on the coverage of Associated Press of the Gaza war for vital photojournalistic ventures and syndicated reports.
International news and press freedom organisations have cited Israel’s new media law as a blatant disregard for international press freedom and statutes.
The Foreign Press Association said in a statement, “The newly established foreign broadcaster law could allow Israel to block media coverage of virtually any news event on vague security grounds.”
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