A BBC Arabic team was driving to back to a hotel when they were stopped and dragged from their car.

Muhannad Tutunji, Haitham Abudiab and their BBC Arabic team were driving to a hotel when their car was intercepted.

They were dragged from the vehicle - marked “TV” in red tape - searched and pushed against a wall.

A BBC spokesperson said journalists “must be able to report on the conflict in Israel-Gaza freely”.

Mr Tutunji and Mr Abudiab said they identified themselves as BBC journalists and showed police their press ID cards.

While attempting to film the incident, Mr Tutunji said his phone was thrown on the ground and he was struck on the neck.

“One of our BBC News Arabic teams deployed in Tel Aviv, in a vehicle clearly marked as media, was stopped and assaulted last night by Israeli police. Journalists must be able to report on the conflict in Israel-Gaza freely,” a BBC spokesperson said.

The BBC has contacted Israeli police for comment.

  • ???@lemmy.worldEnglish
    179·
    1 year ago

    Because Hamas would never think to slap a sticker on a car saying TV to get though checkpoints with bags of weapons would they?

    This kind of talk is being used to excuse all sorts of attacks against the Press and Palestinian civilians.

    Maybe Israel doesn’t want any press…