close
close

Al Jazeera's Laith Jaar was arrested and beaten by Palestinian Authority forces

According to Arab media reports, Laith Jaar, a West Bank correspondent for Qatari state media giant Al Jazeera, was arrested and allegedly beaten by Palestinian Authority security forces this week.

The arrest reportedly came when Jaar arrived to file a complaint against a Palestinian official, alleging that the official had attacked him following the Israeli airstrike on Tulkarm that killed 18 people, including a Hamas commander in the town. were killed.

According to Palestinian reports, Jaar was in Tulkarm interviewing members of the Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

Just minutes after he left the area, an Israeli warplane reportedly struck, killing everyone he had interviewed on the spot.

A rumor then spread that Jaar had betrayed the terrorists to the Shin Bet (Israeli secret service), thereby blaming him for their deaths.

The logo of the Qatar-based Al Jazeera network is seen in one of its offices in Jerusalem (Credit: REUTERS/RONEN ZVULUN/FILE PHOTO)

Jaar was then allegedly interrogated and physically attacked by a Palestinian security officer.

Jaar then filed a report with the Palestinian Authority police.

However, instead of investigating the complaint, the police reportedly arrested him.

Al Jazeera condemns PA

“Al Jazeera Media Network strongly condemns the attack by a Palestinian Authority security officer on its West Bank correspondent Laith Jaar while he was reporting on the Israeli bombing of the Tulkarm refugee camp,” the Qatari media network responded to the incident. “According to Laith’s statement, security guard Ahmad Ghassan Quzah attacked him and threatened to shoot him.”

Al Jazeera also condemned Jaar's arrest by Palestinian security forces and called for his immediate release.

Stay up to date with the latest news!

Subscribe to the Jerusalem Post newsletter

“This attack and arrest represent a serious escalation and a clear violation of the rights of journalists and contribute to the ongoing systematic attacks on our reporters in the Palestinian territories, particularly following the illegal Israeli closure of the Al Jazeera office in Ramallah Occupation authorities. “ explained Al Jazeera.

Accordingly Eye of the Middle EastA British-based news outlet with reportedly ties to Qatar and Al Jazeera, the Palestinian Lawyers for Justice Group also condemned the attack on Jaar.

ME also reported that the Palestinian Media Forum strongly criticized the alleged attack on the Al Jazeera correspondent, quoting the group as saying: “The blatant incitement against our colleague Laith Jaar and the attack on him is a serious violation that threatens press freedom .”



You may also like...