JERUSALEM: The Israeli authorities confiscated digital camera gear belonging to the Related Press on Tuesday (Could 21), earlier than reversing course within the face of widespread condemnation from media teams and criticism even from its closest ally, the US.
Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi mentioned in a press release he had ordered officers to cancel the unique resolution and return the confiscated gear, pending a call by the Ministry of Defence, which he mentioned wished to look at the difficulty.
The Israeli Communications Ministry had earlier accused the AP of breaking the legislation by offering a stay broadcast to Al Jazeera, which it positioned underneath a momentary ban earlier this month, accusing it of endangering nationwide safety.
The company mentioned it was ordered to close down a stay feed exhibiting a view into Gaza from the Israeli city of Sderot, saying this was not primarily based on content material however “an abusive use by the Israeli authorities of the nation’s new overseas broadcaster legislation”.
“The Related Press decries within the strongest phrases the actions of the Israeli authorities to close down our longstanding stay feed exhibiting a view into Gaza and seize AP gear,” AP spokesperson Lauren Easton mentioned.
The media legislation, handed in April, permits the federal government to order overseas broadcasters to quickly stop operations on grounds of nationwide safety.
