Arab Journalists Rally In Wadi Ara Against Israeli Police Discrimination

Nazareth, 16 Dzulqa’dah 1437/19 August 2016  (MINA)  – Dozens of Arab journalists in Israel on Wednesday staged a sit-in outside the police precinct in Wadi Ara town, south of Haifa city, in protest at their exposure to systematic harassment and racist acts by the Israeli police.

The participants in the sit-in, which was called for by the coalition of Arab journalists in Israel, carried banners denouncing the blatant discrimination policy pursued by the Israeli police against them, The Palestinian Information Center (PIC) was  quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

In press remarks during the protest, Arab Knesset member Hanin Zoabi condemned the Israeli police for their discriminatory practices against Arab journalists in Israel.

“The Israeli police has proven that it deals with every Arab citizen, regardless of his position, as an enemy,” Zoabi said. She also expressed her dismay at the absence of journalists working for Israeli and Hebrew media outlets from the protest.

“They have to denounce this kind of treatment because they are working in the same field.” The protest took place after two journalists working for Arab news websites were exposed to maltreatment by an Israeli policeman as they were trying to cover the drone crash incident that happened last week in Zalafa village.

The policeman also prevented them from entering the scene and only allowed in Jewish journalists.(T/P008/R07)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)