Israeli Ambassador to the United States Gilad Erdan told executives at the Associated Press (AP) headquarters in New York City on June 7 that Hamas was using their building in the Gaza Strip as part of their efforts to “jam the Iron Dome.”
Erdan announced his visit to the AP in a June 8 Twitter thread, stating that “that the building housing their Gaza operation was being used by Hamas terrorists trying to jam the Iron Dome – that is why it was prioritize by the IDF [Israel Defense Force] during last month’s operation.” He added that the AP likely didn’t know that Hamas was utilizing the building to sabotage the Iron Dome.
“Israel did everything to ensure no employees or civilians were hurt during this operation,” Erdan tweeted. “In contrast, Hamas is a genocidal terrorist organization that purposely places its terror machine in civilian areas, including in buildings being used by international media outlets.”
He concluded the thread by stressing the importance of press freedom and that the Israeli government “is willing to assist AP in rebuilding its offices and operations in Gaza.”
Yesterday, I visited the @AP HQ in New York to explain to top executives that the building housing their Gaza operation was being used by Hamas terrorists trying to jam the Iron Dome – that is why it was prioritize by the IDF during last month’s operation. 1/4 pic.twitter.com/3lO3SpBSTN
— Ambassador Gilad Erdan גלעד ארדן (@giladerdan1) June 8, 2021
AP is one of the most important news agencies in the world and Israel does not suspect its employees were aware a covert Hamas unit was using the building in this way. 2/4
— Ambassador Gilad Erdan גלעד ארדן (@giladerdan1) June 8, 2021
Israel did everything to ensure no employees or civilians were hurt during this operation. In contrast, Hamas is a genocidal terrorist organization that purposely places its terror machine in civilian areas, including in buildings being used by international media outlets. 3/4
— Ambassador Gilad Erdan גלעד ארדן (@giladerdan1) June 8, 2021
I reaffirmed that Israel upholds the importance of press freedom and strives to ensure the safety of journalists wherever they are reporting. Israel is willing to assist AP in rebuilding its offices and operations in Gaza. 4/4
— Ambassador Gilad Erdan גלעד ארדן (@giladerdan1) June 8, 2021
Creative Community for Peace Director Ari Ingel tweeted that Erdan’s announcement confirms what Tommy Vietor, former National Security Council staffer during the Obama administration, had reported at the time and that a former AP reporter had written in 2014 that Hamas tended to threaten staffers inside the AP’s Gaza bureau.
As reported at the time by this former Obama staffer, Pod Save America founder, & long time Israel critic … his sources confirmed that Hamas had installations in the al-Jalaa building that was also used by AP and al-Jazeera pic.twitter.com/cC01B5TUzu
— Ari Ingel (@OGAride) June 8, 2021
Former AP reporter wrote this piece how Hamas would threaten the AP in Gaza:
“AP staff in Gaza would witness a rocket launch right beside their office. Hamas fighters would burst into the AP’s Gaza bureau and threaten the staff & AP wouldn’t report it.” https://t.co/LT4vyFvT3T
— Ari Ingel (@OGAride) June 8, 2021
Washington Free Beacon contributor Noah Pollak tweeted, “The idea that the IDF bombed the Gaza building housing AP and Al Jazeera offices for no reason whatsoever was always ludicrous. The AP CEO owes Israel an apology — and he owes his readers an explanation.”
The idea that the IDF bombed the Gaza building housing AP and Al Jazeera offices for no reason whatsoever was always ludicrous. The AP CEO owes Israel an apology — and he owes his readers an explanation. https://t.co/gL4lXSi27U
— Noah Pollak (@NoahPollak) June 8, 2021
Jerusalem Post Editor-In-Chief Yaakov Katz tweeted, “Why couldn’t the @IDFSpokesperson have put out this information immediately after the attack? Israel needs to learn from this example. The information battle is part of the war. You can’t leave a vacuum for three weeks and think everything will be okay.”
Why couldn't the @IDFSpokesperson have put out this information immediately after the attack? Israel needs to learn from this example. The information battle is part of the war. You can't leave a vacuum for three weeks and think everything will be okay. https://t.co/n2lfRbyJLX
— Yaakov Katz (@yaakovkatz) June 8, 2021
