All For Peace Radio was forced to shut by the police

On Thursday 17^th of November, Mossi Raz , co-director of All For Peace Radio, was summoned to  a meeting at  the police. There he was questioned under caution for three hours on suspicion of operating an illegal radio. Mossi Raz was released only after he had to sign a statement that "he will stop the broadcasts that are intended for the residence of Israel" and then was forced to make a telephone call which ordered a halt to the station's broadcasts.  The police made it clear to Raz that if he does not comply with the demand to sign and perform the call, he would be brought before a judge to remand and to be arrested and that the police will raid the offices of the radio station. Mossi Raz had to fulfill the demands of the police investigators.

Since Thursday, November 17th, the on- air radio broadcast has stopped.

For seven years, All for Peace Radio has broadcasted online and these broadcasts are transmitted by an antenna placed in Ramallah. The broadcasting company that transfers the on-air broadcast is "Biladi", a company registered under the Palestinian Authority law that has legal permission to broadcast radio from the PA. Needless to say that Israeli law does not apply in Ramallah.

All for Peace Radio operates a recording studio in East Jerusalem, next to national headquarters of the police. In that  studio radio programs are recorded and uploaded to the Internet. For seven years of operation of AFP radio the radio executives have met several times with senior officials from the Ministry of Communications, among others, with the Minister of Communications, Mr. Ariel Atias. In none of these dealings were the managers asked to cease the radio broadcasts, or have been warned that there is a problem with the existence of AFP or its broadcast.

On November 4^th (a symbolic date) the radio received a letter from the Ministry of Communications demanding the immediate halt of all air broadcasts for its illegality. After consultation with the former Attorney General of the Ministry of Communications, the radio executives responded that they express regret for determination of facts in a letter, and will respond in detail to the facts as well as to the demand to halt all broadcasts with in the coming days. The Ministry of Communications CEO's office received the letter on Wednesday the 16^th of November. The very next day Mossi Raz was summoned for questioning under caution and the broadcasting was forced to halt.

All for Peace Radio is committed to promoting peace according to a two-state solution and to be a platform for excluded groups in society as well as to promote freedom of expression and democracy in both nations. AFP program schedule include programs dealing with social and economic issues, political discourse, promotion of human and civil rights, programs that constitute social and political criticism as well as music and cultural programs. Most of AFP Radio program editors and broadcasters do so voluntarily out of the belief in freedom of expression freedom of speech and freedom of thought.

It seems that in these days, when the Israeli Knesset is swamped with a wave of anti-democratic legislation, the authorities found it necessary to stop the broadcasts of the only radio station that openly allows discussions and statements that support democracy.