USA: Israel to withdraw the decision to stop the live recording of the AP agency from Gaza and confiscate the equipment

The United States of America (USA) has asked Israel to withdraw its decision to stop the live filming of the AP agency from Gaza and confiscate the agency's equipment, two senior American officials said today.

A spokesman for the UN secretary-general said it was "quite shocking" that Israel cut off live video from Gaza by the US agency AP and added that journalists should be allowed to do their work freely.

The organization for the defense of journalists, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), assessed the decision of the Israeli authorities to stop the live broadcast of the AP video from Gaza as "shameful censorship".

RSF condemned the seizure of the American agency's camera and the interruption of the broadcast of the footage on the charge that those images were given to Al Jazeera television, which was closed by Israel on May 5, reports Agence France-Presse.

Israeli officials seized the AP's camera and broadcast equipment in Gaza today, accusing the agency of violating a new media law by providing footage used by Al Jazeera.

Qatar's Al Jazeera satellite television is among thousands of clients receiving live footage from the AP and other media organizations, the AP wrote in a text announcing what was done, adding that it "condemns the move" by Israel.

"The AP condemns in the strongest possible terms the Israeli government's actions in shutting down the long-running live broadcast of Gaza and seizing AP equipment," said Lauren Easton, the outlet's vice president of corporate communications.

"The interruption was not based on the content of what was being broadcast but on the abuse of the new broadcasting law. We call on the Israeli authorities to return our equipment and allow us to immediately re-establish live transmission so that we can provide that important visual journalism to thousands of media outlets around the world." , she said.

Officials from Israel's Ministry of Communications arrived at the AP site in the southern city of Sderot this afternoon and confiscated the equipment. They handed AP a piece of paper signed by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, in which AP is accused of violating Israel's law on foreign broadcasting media, reports the US agency.

Just before the equipment was seized, the AP broadcast a wide shot of northern Gaza.

The AP indicated it was following Israeli military censorship regulations, which prohibit the broadcast of filmed details such as troop movements that could endanger soldiers, noting that their live footage mostly showed smoke rising over the territory. The seizure followed a verbal order on Thursday to end the live broadcast, which the AP refused to do.

"In accordance with the decision of the Government and the instruction of the Minister of Communications, the Ministry of Communications will continue to take all necessary measures to limit broadcasting that undermines the security of the state," the Israeli Ministry announced.

Israeli officials implemented the law adopted at the beginning of April, when they decided to close the offices of Al Jazeera, a television based in Qatar, and to confiscate the equipment of Qatari television, banning its broadcasts and blocking its portals, reminds AP.