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Israeli officials reverse decision to confiscate AP equipment that they said violated media law.

Israel’s communications minister ordered the government to return a camera and broadcast equipment it had confiscated from The Associated Press (AP) on Thursday, reversing the decision hours after blocking the news organization’s live video from Gaza.

The government confiscated AP equipment at a location in southern Israel after accusing it of violating a new media law by providing images to the Al Jazeera satellite channel.

“While we are pleased with this development, we remain concerned about the Israeli government’s use of foreign broadcasting law and the ability of independent journalists to operate freely in Israel,” AP spokeswoman Lauren Easton said in an updated statement. . Tuesday statement.

Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi canceled his own order and said the Israeli Defense Ministry will undertake a review of the media’s positioning on live videos from Gaza.

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Israeli officials confiscated equipment from the Associated Press for violating its laws on media broadcasts. (Getty Images)

Israeli lawmakers in the Knesset approved a measure by a 71-10 vote in late March to give Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Communications Minister authority to temporarily shut down foreign media outlets and confiscate their equipment if they use them. considers a “security risk” for Israel.

Israeli officials used the law to ban Qatar-based news station Al Jazeera from broadcasting from Israel on April 1.

Announcing the decision, Netanyahu called the organization a “terrorist channel” and “spokesperson for Hamas,” while stating: “Al Jazeera “has damaged Israel’s security, actively participated in the October 7 massacre, and incited against IDF soldiers.”

The AP revealed that it rejected requests from the Israeli government last week to stop its live broadcast from northern Gaza and said it would not stop sending images to Al Jazeera, which is one of thousands of clients.

In a statement before the actions were revoked, Easton had said: “The Associated Press condemns in the strongest terms the Israeli government’s actions to shut down our long-running live broadcast showing a view of Gaza and confiscate AP equipment “.

“The shutdown was not based on the content of the broadcast but rather on the Israeli government’s abusive use of the country’s new foreign broadcasting law,” he added.

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Benjamin Netanyahu and Al Jazeera divide the image

The Israeli government has defended its decision to seize AP news equipment after the country banned Al Jazeera from broadcasting within Israel. (Getty Images)

Several organizations opposed the Israeli government’s decision to stop AP’s live coverage of northern Gaza.

“The Foreign Press Association is alarmed by Israel’s seizure of Associated Press broadcast equipment today along the Israeli border near Gaza,” the organization wrote. “This is the latest in a series of chilling measures taken by the Israeli government to repress the media.”

“This is an act of madness,” wrote Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid. in a sentence originally in Hebrew.

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Kristine Parks of the Associated Press and Fox News contributed to this report.


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