An Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman, Emmanuel Nahshon,
called it “a regrettable incident” and praised Booth as “an excellent journalist”. The ministry would ask the police to clarify the incident, he said.
The FPA said their detention came in the context of “heavy-handed tactics” – including what it described as violent attacks by border police against foreign journalists and their Palestinian colleagues covering unrest in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank.
Booth and Taha, the FPA said, were interviewing Palestinian and Jewish residents at Damascus Gate in East Jerusalem. The area has been the scene of several Palestinian stabbing and shooting attacks in a wave of unrest that began in October.
Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said the two journalists were detained after a passer-by had complained to police that he saw several people apparently inciting Arab youths to violence.
“When the facts were clarified and no suspicion of criminal activity arose, the investigating officer released the detainees immediately,” she said.
More about:
-1780923278.jpg&h=190&w=280&zc=1&q=100)
