Israeli officials briefly seized equipment from the AP on Tuesday for allegedly violating the country’s laws on media broadcasts amid national security concerns.
Israel’s communications minister ordered the government to return a camera and broadcasting equipment it had confiscated from The Associated Press (AP) Thursday, reversing course hours after blocking the news organization’s live video of Gaza.
The government seized the AP equipment from a location in southern Israel after accusing it of violating a new media law by providing images to the satellite channel Al Jazeera.
« 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, » AP spokesperson Lauren Easton said in an updated statement Tuesday.
Communications minister Shlomo Karhi canceled his own order and said the Israeli defense ministry will undertake a review of news outlets’ positioning of live video of Gaza.
