US Congress Members Urge Israel to Free Palestinian Journalist

Three newly elected Democratic members of the U.S. In a letter sent Friday to the Israeli Ambassador in Washington, Yael Laifer, the lawmakers expressed concern that the arrest could be used to restrict press freedom and impact Arab citizens' participation in political life. The representatives, Brad Lander, Daniel Biss, and Scott Wiener, are progressive Democrats who have supported Israel and are considered liberal Zionists. Azzmi Bishara. The representatives emphasized that conducting interviews is central to journalistic work in a free society and that arresting a journalist for doing so is unacceptable in democracies. The letter also referenced Israel's international legal obligations, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantees freedom of information and prohibits arbitrary detention, as well as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The lawmakers highlighted that the principles of not arresting individuals for their political stances, writings, or journalistic work, and not detaining them based on undisclosed evidence, should apply in Israel. They also called on Israel to refrain from arresting or investigating Palestinian journalists, political figures, and voters in attempts to challenge election results.