May 22nd 2024.
The Israeli government has made a decision to return a camera and broadcasting equipment that was previously seized from The Associated Press. This decision comes after facing criticism for interfering with independent journalism by blocking the AP's live video of Gaza. The AP's live video of Gaza was back up in Israel early on Wednesday after the government seized the equipment positioned in southern Israel and accused the AP of violating a new media law by providing images to the satellite channel Al Jazeera.
The new media law was used on May 5 to shut down Al Jazeera within Israel, confiscating its equipment, banning its broadcasts, and blocking its websites. After seizing the AP's equipment, the Biden administration, journalism organizations, and an Israeli opposition leader all condemned the actions of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government and pressured them to reverse the decision. In response, Israel's communications minister, Shlomo Karhi, announced on the social platform X, "I have now ordered to cancel the action and return the equipment to the AP." He also stated that the defense ministry will be reviewing news outlets' positioning of live video of Gaza, which was not previously disclosed to the AP as an issue.
The AP has thousands of customers, including Al Jazeera, and provides live video to various news organizations. Lauren Easton, the AP's vice president of corporate communications, expressed relief at the decision but also stated, "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."
Officials from the Communications Ministry arrived at the AP's location in the southern town of Sderot on Tuesday afternoon and seized the equipment, claiming that they were violating the country's foreign broadcaster law. This happened shortly after the AP was broadcasting a general view of northern Gaza. The AP follows Israel's military censorship rules, which prohibit broadcasts of details that could endanger soldiers, such as troop movements. The live video mostly showed smoke rising over the territory. However, last Thursday, the AP was verbally ordered to cease the live transmission, which they refused to do.
Israel's opposition leader Yair Lapid called the government's move against the AP "an act of madness." In response, Karhi reminded Lapid that the law, which was passed unanimously by the government, states that any device used to deliver Al Jazeera content could be seized. The seizure of AP equipment was condemned by journalism organizations, and the Biden administration also applied pressure. A spokesperson for the National Security Council, Adrienne Watson, stated, "As soon as we learned about the reports, the White House and the State Department immediately engaged with the government of Israel at high levels to express our serious concern and ask them to reverse this action."
When Al Jazeera's offices were closed earlier this month, media groups warned of the serious implications for press freedom in Israel. The Foreign Press Association released a statement, saying, "Israel's record on press freedom already has been dismal throughout the war. It has prevented independent access to Gaza for foreign journalists." The AP's live video shot from Sderot has provided a rare independent glimpse of the situation in Gaza. Israel has a strained relationship with Al Jazeera, accusing them of bias against the country. Netanyahu has even referred to the channel as a "terror channel" that spreads incitement.
Despite the tensions, Al Jazeera has been one of the few international news outlets that have remained in Gaza throughout the war, showing scenes of airstrikes and overcrowded hospitals and accusing Israel of massacres. The AP also has a presence in Gaza. During the previous Israel-Hamas war in 2021, the army destroyed the building housing AP's Gaza office, claiming that Hamas had used the building for military purposes. However, the AP denied any knowledge of a Hamas presence, and the army never provided evidence to support their claim. The war in Gaza began with a Hamas attack in Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 people and the capture of 250 others. According to Gaza's Health Ministry, more than 35,000 Palestinians have been killed since then, with no distinction between civilians and combatants in their count.
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