AP Israel Reporter Held in West Bank

PHOTO: Italian photographer shot and killed by Israeli Defenses Forces in Palestine.


Israel Reporter Held in West Bank

By Associated Press

April 16, 2002, 8:18 AM EDT


JERUSALEM -- Journalist Mohammed Daraghmeh, who reports on events in the West Bank for The Associated Press, was detained by Israeli troops Tuesday during an arrest sweep of his neighborhood in the West Bank city of Nablus.

Daraghmeh and other men in his apartment building were handcuffed and taken away by Israeli troops, said Daraghmeh's wife, Mervat.

Daraghmeh, 39, has covered the northern West Bank for AP since 1996. He also works for the Palestinian daily al-Ayam.

The Israeli military would not say where Daraghmeh was being held.

AP protested Daraghmeh's detention and demanded his release.

Dan Seaman, director of Israel's Government Press Office, said in response that "there's no immunity for journalists. He (Daraghmeh) is a Palestinian, and he was arrested like thousands of other Palestinians. He'll be questioned, and if there's no problem he'll be released."

The Israeli government revoked the press accreditations held by many Palestinian journalists working for the international media in January, making it more difficult for them to operate in areas where the Israeli army was present.

Copyright © 2002, The Associated Press