Foreign Press Association Condemns Violence
The Foreign Press Association (FPA) has strongly criticized what it calls an “unprovoked assault” by Israeli police on journalists in Jerusalem. The incident occurred on Tuesday evening as reporters were covering Ramadan prayers outside the Old City walls. The FPA stated that a CNN producer suffered a broken wrist during the confrontation.
Violent Disruption of Prayer Coverage
According to the FPA, police “unnecessarily and aggressively pushed back a group of journalists doing their jobs, filming people praying outside the Old City walls.” The association reported that several journalists were detained, photographic equipment was damaged, and memory cards were confiscated during the incident.
An AFP photographer on scene described how a small group of journalists was filming Muslims attempting to perform evening Tarawih prayers when officers suddenly arrived and “violently attacked worshippers as well as journalists covering the event.” Another foreign journalist told AFP that police “hit the CNN producer and other journalists with batons,” adding that at least one Palestinian was arrested.
Mounting Pressure for Accountability
The FPA, which hundreds of journalists in Israel and the Palestinian territories, declared that “none of this is acceptable.” The organization has called on police to “immediately take action against the officers involved in this unprovoked assault and to act in the future to protect press freedom, rather than violate it.”
The Journalists’ Union in Israel expressed similar outrage, stating it was “appalled” by the police conduct in a message on X. The union urged the police commissioner to “immediately suspend the officers involved.” Israeli authorities have kept holy sites in East Jerusalem’s Old City closed for security reasons since the regional conflict began on February 28.
AFP has requested comment from Israeli police regarding the incident. The confrontation highlights growing concerns about press freedom in the region as journalists face increasing obstacles in covering sensitive events.
