Gov't approves proposal declaring pirate radio 'aerial terror'
Mofaz's proposal means police teams, prosecutors and the tax authority will be working to thwart the threat.
By Zohar Blumenkrantz Tags: Ben Gurion Airport Shaul MofazThe government approved on Sunday a proposal declaring pirate radio a threat that constitutes "aerial terror" and endangers the peace and security of passengers flying over Israeli skies.
The approval of the proposal, initiated by Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz, means that the government will increase its activities against illegal broadcasting. For the first time, a pirate radio offense will be termed an "economic crime," and will be enforced as such.
The enforcement plan includes adding five police teams to deal with locating and dealing with pirate radio infrastructure, and placing two prosecutors with the economics crime division of the police to work on the legal end.
The tax authority will also be involved, by hunting advertisers, financers and broadcasters. The government will recommend that the attorney general prepare a punishment policy suited to the gravity of the offense.
Mofaz will oversee the implementation of the plan and will report to the government on its progress one every six months.
Mofaz said that since the government was recruited to act against the phenomenon, "there has been a drastic drop in disturbances to the [radio] connection at the Ben Gurion Airport control tower." For example, there were 14 incidents of disturbances in September 2006, and only three this past September.
The transportation minister added that "our aim is to dismantle the pirate radio infrastructure. It will be treated by focusing on people, not offices. We will act to deter by harming the entire circle that deals in the field ? from the broadcaster, to the director of the station and down to the advertiser. If we carry out the plan, within two years, we will be able to destroy the criminal infrastructure."
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The air control tower at Ben Gurion Airport. (Nir Keidar) |
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What you have already seems to be working, as a decrease from 14 to 3 disturbances shows.
The FCC in American also controls the airwaves-- It helps assure that communiations don't conflict with air traffic and other legally licensed stations to transmit--Remember, a number of years ago, there was a pirate radio station ona ship, beyond the legal limits of Israel--It broadcast for years--If these guys want to operate illegally, let them by a rowboat and place the equipment on board, and head out to sea----
They tell people not to use their cellphones of computers when flying--It interferes with radio communications, necessary the the aircraft & passenger safety--Let's say you were on the flight and it crashed because of electronic interference, just think of what your attitude would be when the plane slammed into the ground--
The safety situation at Ben Gurion is bad. What will be said if jammed communications result in a mid-air, runway incursion and collision or some other disaster? Radio communications which have people's lives at stake are not playthings for criminally types to play with for fun and profit. What astounds me is that Israel is the ONLY nation I can remember where illegal radio interference with an airport - to say nothing of the nations major commercial hub - has been allowed to go on for years without being suppressed. I feel that this situation has persisted from political cowardice. A direct result of the authorities responsible for public safety being fearful or supportive of the individuals responsible.
If you are afraid of going into PLO territory and to takeover Rammalah ,the threat will never be over.. What about openning the airwaves for those that oppose Goverment propoganda?
This is all nonsense used to suppress freedom of speech. The gov't insists on controlling all radio and refuses to allocate radio frequencies to those who won't toe their regime's line. They used these lame excuses to close down Arutz 7 because that was the only nationwide radio station that opposed the regime's post-Zionist agenda. This claim of "terrorism" is really state terrorism against those whom insist on their freedom to speak out against the regime.
Aerial TERROR. The attorney to prepare a punishment policy suited to the GRAVITY of the offense. Tax authority plus five extra police teams and two additional prosecutors, all to protect the public from aerial terrorists. Oh happy Israel, how much most countries with serious crime issues will envy you that you have nothing more important to worry about! Or is this government dedicating this quantity of manpower and funds solely to the protection of commercial interests?
it is not terror. This is going overboard.