Jerusalem------April 2........Government Press Office Director Daniel Seaman today summoned to his Jerusalem office, Abu Dhabi Television correspondent Leila Awdeh and the network’s visiting correspondent, Jasim Al-Azzawi, and informed them of his decision to revoke the press cards that were granted them by the State of Israel.

GPO Director Seaman notes that the network has been – for some time – engaged in crude anti-Israeli propaganda and has taken an inflammatory and hostile approach that contributes to unrest in the Arab world. The network's live broadcasts have violated Israel’s military censorship rules, which they committed themselves to observe in a document which they signed upon receipt of their press cards.

The network’s goal is to inflame emotions and present a false depiction of what is happening on the ground. On 31.3.2002, they broadcast a report on executions allegedly carried out by IDF forces against, “groups and groups of young men who were led to the Islamic Club in Ramallah…” This report – like all of the network’s other reports, without exception – was broadcast without reservations and without any Israeli official response.

The network’s conduct does not meet even the most minimal standards of a fair press and, according to GPO Director Seaman, the network is nothing but a voice for anti-Israeli propaganda in the guise of an international media organization.

GPO Director Seaman has brought the foregoing to the attention of Interior Minister Eli Yishai and has recommended that his ministry examine the possibility of taking steps against correspondent Jasim Al-Azzawi.

The GPO Director also communicated the foregoing to Justice Minister Meir Sheetrit, along with the recommendation that legal steps be taken against the network’s office in Israel.

GPO Director Seaman points out that the revocation of press cards is an extraordinary step, which the GPO is loathe to undertake, except in exceptional circumstances, and adds that while he hopes that there will be no need to repeat this measure in the near future, he will not hesitate to take this step if other media continue to ignore Israeli law.

Furthermore, GPO Director Daniel Seaman today (Tuesday), 2.4.2002, advised, in writing, the Israeli bureau chiefs of CNN and NBC, whose correspondents are grossly violating OC Central Command’s order declaring Ramallah to be a closed military zone. Despite the fact that the foreign media knows that the Ramallah area is closed, CNN correspondent Michael Holmes and NBC correspondent Ashlie Banfield are broadcasting from the closed area, in violation of Israeli law.

GPO Director Seaman wishes to emphasize that if the violations of Israeli law do not cease, the State of Israel will be obliged to take sanctions determined by law.

GPO Director Seaman would like to stress that while the State of Israel is indeed a democratic country, in which journalists have complete freedom, democracy is not anarchy. The State of Israel is, above all, a nation of laws. For some time, foreign correspondents in Israel benefited from the fact that the authorities turned a blind eye to violations of Israeli law, but in the current situation of conflict with terrorist elements, the State of Israel can no longer allow the repeated violation of its laws, in the wake of which Israeli citizens are being hurt.

Just as the state of Israel has always respected the freedom of the press and the needs of the media, we hope that those who are engaged in such work will respect the State of Israel and show understanding and sensitivity to its needs during this difficult period for its citizens.