Al-Jazeera
"It probably has not made the headlines in most press around the world, but Israel has recently decided to expel an American journalist working for the respected Ma'an News Agency, based out of the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
For the first time in a week, journalist Jared Malsin (left) was allowed to use his mobile phone on Wednesday morning to inform Ma'an that he was being placed onto an El Al flight to Prague.
The case of Jared Malsin has implications for foreign journalists who work in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). When the story of his detention first emerged, I spoke to a diplomatic source with knowledge of the case. He told me, Jared's deportation was politically motivated based on his work.
Israeli officials I have called regarding this case have not provided any explanation regarding the deportation. From court documents attributed to the Ma'an News Agency, Israel is deporting Jared on "security" grounds that stem from his political beliefs.
Interrogators gathered online research into [Jared's] writing history, which the transcripts indicate included news stories, "criticizing the State of Israel" among other allegations that he "authored articles inside the territories"
This could have serious ramifications for journalists who work and cover the OPT, and who are sometimes critical of the policies carried out against Palestinians by the self-proclaimed Jewish State.
International journalists have come to Jared's defense.
As if the daily physical risks of working in Israel/Palestine were not hard enough, now the Israeli government is willing to go to greater lengths to silence those who are critical of its Occupation."
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