Palestinian TV station takes confiscation case to High Court

An Israeli seizure of equipment from Wattan TV in Ramallah has been brought to Israel’s High Court

The Israeli seizure of Wattan TV equipment earlier this year undermines fundamental human rights, says Michael Sfard, the TV station’s attorney. This has led the station to bring the case to court.

At a press conference held in Jerusalem on Thursday 25 October, Sfard noted that Wattan TV had yet to receive an explanation for the raid despite numerous formal requests.

Wattan is known as one of the few independent TV channels unaffiliated with political parties in the Occupied Palestinian territories.

‘Baseless’ statement

According to an official statement released earlier this year by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Wattan TV were broadcasting illegally as transmission frequencies interfered with aircraft communication signals at Ben Gurion airport located about 30 kilometres west of Ramallah. A statement Wattan TV’s General Director Muamar Orabi described as ‘baseless’ at the Jerusalem press conference.

Speaking to IMS earlier this year, Orabi said on the confiscation:

– They confiscated all of our nerve equipment leaving us paralysed. It’s a disaster.

The Israeli High Court of Justice has given the Israeli government 30 days to respond to Wattan TV’s complaint.