Israeli media reported on Tuesday evening that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the Communications Ministry to retract its measures against the "Associated Press" and return its equipment, following U.S. pressures. Earlier on the same day, the U.S. agency stated that the Israeli government had ceased its live broadcasting service from southern Israel to cover events in the Gaza Strip, citing a law that prohibits providing images to the Qatari channel "Al Jazeera." The "Associated Press" condemned the Israeli government's actions of stopping its long-standing live broadcast in the strongest terms.
The agency criticized the "arbitrary use" of the new foreign streaming law in Israel, which forbids providing images to "Al Jazeera." According to the agency, Israeli authorities confiscated its camera and broadcasting equipment. It urged Israeli authorities to return its equipment and allow immediate resumption of live broadcasting so it could continue providing important visual journalism to thousands of media outlets worldwide.
The "Associated Press" noted that "Al Jazeera" was among thousands of clients receiving live streaming service from them. It was announced that officials from the Israeli Communications Ministry arrived at the "Associated Press" office in the town of Sderot in southern Israel on Tuesday afternoon and confiscated the equipment. The officials delivered a signed document from Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, which stated that the agency violated the new broadcasting law in the country.
According to the document, the agency's photographers regularly film the Gaza Strip from a balcony in Sderot, focusing on the activities and locations of Israeli Defense Forces soldiers. It also mentioned, "Although inspectors from the Communications Ministry warned them that they were violating the law and that they should prevent Al Jazeera from obtaining their content and not relay broadcasts to Al Jazeera, they continued to do so." The document indicated that "inspectors from the Communications Ministry performed their duties in Sderot as they did the previous week in Nazareth, according to orders approved by the government and in compliance with the law, confiscating equipment," referring to the equipment of "Al Jazeera."
The agency asserted that before its equipment was confiscated, it was broadcasting a general scene from northern Gaza, noting that the live footage showed smoke rising over the Gaza Strip in general. It added, "The Associated Press is committed to the rules of Israeli military censorship that prohibit broadcasting details such as troop movements that endanger soldiers."
In this regard, the White House stated today that it is verifying reports about Israel confiscating equipment from the "Associated Press," describing the incident as "concerning." Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that the White House believes in the necessity of enabling journalists to perform their work and their right to do so. A spokesperson for the White House declared that the United States is directly communicating with Israel, demanding that it retract the confiscation of camera equipment from the agency.
The spokesperson for United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated on Tuesday that Israel's suspension of the "Associated Press's" live coverage from Gaza is "shocking." Spokesman Stéphane Dujarric told reporters, "Frankly, it's very shocking. Journalists should be able to perform their work freely. The Associated Press should be allowed to do its job freely and without harassment."
For its part, the organization Reporters Without Borders condemned the Israeli authorities' decision, describing it as "outrageous censorship." The organization denounced the "confiscation of a camera from one of the news agencies and the cutting off of live coverage of scenes from Gaza under the pretext of delivering these images" to the Qatari channel "Al Jazeera," which Israel banned and shut down on May 5, as stated by the organization defending journalists on the platform "X."
