RIYADH: Following online criticism of an Israeli journalist, a Saudi who is accused of assisting a non-Muslim in entering the holy city of Makkah has been detained, the kingdom’s police said on Friday.
In defiance of a ban on non-Muslims, the journalist Gil Tamary of Israel’s Channel 13 posted a video to Twitter on Monday showing himself smuggling into Makkah, the holiest city in Islam.
Makkah regional police
According to a police spokesperson quoted by the official, the Makkah regional police have “referred a citizen” to prosecutors for alleged involvement in “transferring and facilitating the entry of a (non-Muslim) journalist.”
Israeli reporter
The journalist, who is an American citizen, has also had his case referred to prosecutors so they can “take the necessary procedures against him in accordance with the applied laws,” according to SPA, which did not give the journalist’s name.
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Despite growing behind-the-scenes business and security contacts, Saudi Arabia does not recognize Israel and did not join the 2020 US-brokered Abraham Accords that saw the Jewish state establish ties with two of the kingdom’s neighbors, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain.
In his roughly 10-minute clip, Tamary visits Mount Arafat, where robed Muslim pilgrims gather to pray during the climax of the Hajj pilgrimage each year.
He states unequivocally that he is aware his actions are forbidden, but nonetheless claims he did it to highlight “a place that is so important to our Muslim brothers and sisters.”
Tamary’s defense and subsequent apology failed to appease angry Saudi online comments.
Following US Vice President Joe Biden’s trips to Saudi Arabia and Israel last week, there was controversy.
based on earlier news A TV report by a journalist who entered Islam’s holiest site Makkah despite a ban on non-Muslim visits and who later apologized for the incident in response to the online backlash was denounced by an Israeli minister on Wednesday as “stupid and harmful” to Israel-Gulf relations.
Gil Tamary, a journalist for Israel
Gil Tamary, a journalist for Israel’s Channel 13 News, reported from Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, for ten minutes on Monday. In the report, Tamary drove by Makkah’s Grand Mosque and climbed the Mount of Mercy, which overlooks the plain of Arafat, which is regarded as the site of the Prophet Mohammad’s last sermon fourteen centuries ago.
Tamary lowers his voice while speaking to the camera in Hebrew and occasionally switches to English to avoid revealing he is Israeli. He is accompanied by a person who appears to be a local guide and whose face is blurred to prevent his identification.
Esawi Freij, a Muslim minister for regional cooperation in Israel, told public broadcaster Kan, “I’m sorry (but) it was a stupid thing to do and take pride in.” To air, this report solely for rating purposes was irresponsible and damaging.
According to Freij, the report hurt US-supported efforts to gradually normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, much like the 2020 diplomatic agreements with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
Riyadh refuses to recognize Israel because doing so would necessitate first addressing Palestinian statehood aspirations.
After the report aired, the hashtag “A Jew in [Makkah’s] Grand Mosque” became popular on Twitter.
“My dear friends in Israel, a journalist of yours entered the holy city of [Makkah] and shamelessly filmed there,” Mohammed Saud, a pro-Israel Saudi activist, wrote on Twitter. “Shame on you, Channel 13, for causing such harm to Islam’s religion. You are impolite.”
The story was not covered by Saudi media, which is tightly controlled by the government, and officials did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
Joe Biden
Tamary was in Jeddah on Friday to cover US Vice President Joe Biden’s visit. It was unclear whether authorities had given permission for his Makkah trip, for which he later apologized, saying he had not intended to offend Muslims.
He apologized profusely on Twitter in English if the video offended anyone. The goal of the entire endeavor, he continued, was to promote greater religious inclusion and tolerance by highlighting the significance of Makkah and the beauty of the faith.
