Pod Save America Hosts Call on Democrats to Cut All Israel Military Aid, No Longer Accept AIPAC Funding
Jews, Israelis Targeted in Austria Amid Surge in Antisemitic Incidents; Local Jewish Community Calls for Action
‘All of Our Strength’: Over 1,000 Pro-Israel Activists Gather in DC for Solidarity Conference
‘Devastated’: Wesley LePatner, Killed in Manhattan Mass Shooting, Was a Jewish Communal, Philanthropic Leader
Sen. Angus King Vows to No Longer Vote for Israel Military Aid Until Gaza Conditions Improve
Europe Won’t Pressure Israel to ‘Commit Suicide’ Amid Gaza Backlash, Palestinian State Push, Says Israeli FM
Israel’s National Soccer Coach Attacked in Athens Before Soccer Fans Chant ‘F–K Israel, Free Palestine’ at Match
New York Judge Sentences Neo-Nazi to 5 Years for Livestreaming Bomb Threats Against Jewish Hospitals
US Pressures Lebanon to Issue Cabinet Decision to Disarm Hezbollah Before Talks Continue
UK Plans to Recognize Palestinian State in September Unless Israel Meets Conditions, Starmer Says
IDF Shuts Down PA Television Stations Putting Airline Passengers at Risk
Error: Contact form not found.
by Algemeiner Staff
El Al aircraft. Photo: wiki commons.
Two television stations being run out of Ramallah, in the West Bank, were shut down overnight on Wednesday and had their transmission equipment confiscated by the Israel Defense Forces.
The Palestinian stations were broadcasting via a signal that was interfering with aircraft communication nearby, according to the IDF, and despite numerous requests from the Israeli government to stop the broadcasts, which were endangering lives, the stations continued transmitting their signal.
“Overnight, IDF soldiers accompanied an operation of the Israeli Ministry of Communications to close two pirate television stations in Ramallah, followed by countless requests to seize their broadcasting, which significantly interrupts other legal broadcasting stations. During the operation, in accordance with law, Communications Ministry representatives confiscated several transmitters. The station’s illegal broadcasting interferes with aircraft communication,” the IDF said in a statement.
Salam Fayaad, the Palestinian Authority’s Prime Minister did not see the issue similarly.
“This piracy and raids of Palestinian media institutions brings back to mind the practices during the beginning of the second Intifadah when Israeli occupation forces raided and sabotaged many Palestinian media institutions including Palestine TV, Voice of Palestine, and Wattan TV,” he said.
The issue of signal interference is one of familiarity to U.S. authorities as well.
Regulatory and safety issues have forced Lightsquared – a broadband and satellite signal provider set up by Wall Street titan, Philip Falcone – to fall flat on it’s face recently. The multi-billion dollar investment from Falcone and his firm, Harbinger Capital Partners, cannot get off the ground because of concerns from federal aviation and defense officials that it’s network interferes with GPS systems on commerical airliners, putting passengers at great risk.
