Israeli police smashed camera of Turkish journalists in Jerusalem

In an incident expected to heighten tensions between Ankara and Tel Aviv, police broke the video camera of Turkish journalists in East Jerusalem’s Old City and violently assaulted them.

Israeli police tried to prevent Turkish journalists from covering the events, and one of the police officers broke the journalist’s video camera.

Journalists from national broadcaster TRT news reported that Israeli troops blocked and used violence against Palestinians heading to Al-Aqsa Mosque for Friday prayers, trtworld.com reported. Israeli police violently interfered with news team TRT, smashing a camera with a gun as the group worked to cover events in a troubled area.

Even though the camera was damaged, the TRT reporter said he would continue to cover the ongoing terrorist attacks in Palestine. During the live broadcast, Israeli police fired tear gas in the area where the mosque is located.

Turkey’s Communications Director Fahrettin Altun condemned the Israeli police attack on TRT journalists. “Israel continues to violate international law, its entire military, from the army to the police, appears to ignore rules and principles,” wrote Altun on the X website.

İsrail, askerinden polisine tüm silahlı unsurlarıyla uluslararası hukuku çiğnemeye, adeta kural, ilke tanımamaya devam ediyor.

İsrail polisinin Kudüs'te TRT Haber ekibine saldırısını kınıyorum, TRT ailesine geçmiş olsun dileklerimi iletiyorum.

Hiç kuşkusuz bu çirkin saldırı,…

— Fahrettin Altun (@fahrettinaltun) November 17, 2023

“Certainly, this unsavory attack adds to Israel’s record of shame regarding press freedom.” Altoun reiterated his country’s call for the international community to take a stronger stand against Israel, which “continues indiscriminate killings of infants, women, the elderly and the disabled, preventing the work of journalists.” He also expressed his best wishes to the staff of the TRT television channel.

There have been many other instances in the past where Israeli forces have attempted to prevent TRT journalists from reporting in the Gaza Strip and occupied East Jerusalem. Earlier, the Israeli authorities banned the Qatari TV channel Al Jazeera from operating in the country.

This week, Israeli troops once again disrupted Friday prayers by imposing restrictions on Palestinians wishing to pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem’s Old City. The prayers for peace come as the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip and brutal crackdown in the occupied West Bank have continued for more than 40 days.

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