The circumstances surrounding yesterday's raid on Arutz-7's ship are still unclear. Arutz-7 officials have not been able to determine why the raid was conducted, nor why it happened specifically yesterday.
Israel Police and Communications Ministry personnel raided the Eretz HaTzvi broadcasting ship of Arutz-7 Israel National Radio yesterday, halting the station's signal for over an hour and warning the captain not to resume broadcasting. Nothing was taken or damaged.
Arutz-7 broadcasts from outside of Israel's territorial waters because privately-owned radio stations are prohibited from airing nationwide. A law duly passed by the Knesset granting Arutz-7 a broadcasting license was recently nullified by the Supreme Court.
Communications Minister Ruby Rivlin of the Likud said he was "furious" at the timing of the raid, and other right-wing politicians railed against what some called "political persecution." A spokesman for Public Security Minister Uzi Landau, who oversees the Israel Police, told Arutz-7 that he did not know of the raid in advance, and that the Communications Ministry initiated it a while ago. The Communications Ministry says the raid was a result of Elections Committee head Hon. Michael Cheshin's call to ensure that unlicensed stations do not broadcast election propaganda. Cheshin himself said he was not involved. Arutz-7 announced in response that it is more careful not to allow its interviewers and interviewees to speak on behalf of specific parties than are Israel's public stations.
ARUTZ-7 issued this announcement following the raid:
"For 15 years, the State Prosecution and the police have waged a campaign to harm Arutz-7 by "hitting us in our pockets." On two previous occasions, police have smashed and confiscated our state-of-the-art broadcasting equipment, under the pretext that the station’s broadcasts are against Israeli law. No court has ever ruled that this is the case, but Arutz-7 has had to pay top lawyers' fees in order to defend itself against these allegations. Police raids like the one today on our broadcasting ship are aimed solely at portraying the station as illegal, thus bringing about an immediate decrease in advertising income.
"The Prime Minister, Communications Minister, and Public Security (Police) Minister all denied prior knowledge of and involvement in today’s attempt to silence Israel’s only radio voice opposing the establishment of Palestinian state. How, then, did it happen? Raids of this sort happen under right-wing governments because extremist left elements control key government institutions, including the police, the State Prosecution, the courts, and the Israel Broadcasting Authority. They are largely behind the systematic attempts to financially cripple and harm the lone nationalist voice on Israel’s airwaves. We turn to our listeners and internet readers to fight this trend in whatever legitimate manner is available. Please speak out, write letters and faxes, and support the station in its continual struggle to survive these blows against our right to champion the Jewish Nation's right to the Land of Israel."
Israel Police and Communications Ministry personnel raided the Eretz HaTzvi broadcasting ship of Arutz-7 Israel National Radio yesterday, halting the station's signal for over an hour and warning the captain not to resume broadcasting. Nothing was taken or damaged.
Arutz-7 broadcasts from outside of Israel's territorial waters because privately-owned radio stations are prohibited from airing nationwide. A law duly passed by the Knesset granting Arutz-7 a broadcasting license was recently nullified by the Supreme Court.
Communications Minister Ruby Rivlin of the Likud said he was "furious" at the timing of the raid, and other right-wing politicians railed against what some called "political persecution." A spokesman for Public Security Minister Uzi Landau, who oversees the Israel Police, told Arutz-7 that he did not know of the raid in advance, and that the Communications Ministry initiated it a while ago. The Communications Ministry says the raid was a result of Elections Committee head Hon. Michael Cheshin's call to ensure that unlicensed stations do not broadcast election propaganda. Cheshin himself said he was not involved. Arutz-7 announced in response that it is more careful not to allow its interviewers and interviewees to speak on behalf of specific parties than are Israel's public stations.
ARUTZ-7 issued this announcement following the raid:
"For 15 years, the State Prosecution and the police have waged a campaign to harm Arutz-7 by "hitting us in our pockets." On two previous occasions, police have smashed and confiscated our state-of-the-art broadcasting equipment, under the pretext that the station’s broadcasts are against Israeli law. No court has ever ruled that this is the case, but Arutz-7 has had to pay top lawyers' fees in order to defend itself against these allegations. Police raids like the one today on our broadcasting ship are aimed solely at portraying the station as illegal, thus bringing about an immediate decrease in advertising income.
"The Prime Minister, Communications Minister, and Public Security (Police) Minister all denied prior knowledge of and involvement in today’s attempt to silence Israel’s only radio voice opposing the establishment of Palestinian state. How, then, did it happen? Raids of this sort happen under right-wing governments because extremist left elements control key government institutions, including the police, the State Prosecution, the courts, and the Israel Broadcasting Authority. They are largely behind the systematic attempts to financially cripple and harm the lone nationalist voice on Israel’s airwaves. We turn to our listeners and internet readers to fight this trend in whatever legitimate manner is available. Please speak out, write letters and faxes, and support the station in its continual struggle to survive these blows against our right to champion the Jewish Nation's right to the Land of Israel."