Foreign media association slams Israeli forces’ assault on CNN crew in occupied West Bank
An international media association on Saturday condemned what it described as a “violent assault” by Israeli soldiers who detained a CNN crew in the occupied West Bank this week.
A CNN team was reporting on the aftermath of an assault by Israeli settlers and the establishment of an illegal outpost near the Palestinian village of Tayasir on Thursday when Israeli soldiers detained it, the Foreign Press Association (FPA) said.
“The soldiers aggressively targeted the crew and Palestinian civilians present, pointing their rifles at them,” the FPA said, even after the journalists identified themselves.
“The soldiers repeatedly tried to infringe the CNN crew’s right to film, ordering the crew to stop filming and threatening to confiscate the camera.
“Later, an IDF (Israeli Defence Force) soldier approached CNN’s photojournalist from behind, placed him in a chokehold, slammed him to the ground, and damaged his camera,” said the association, which represents hundreds of journalists in Israel and Palestinian territories.
CNN confirmed the details in its own report on the incident, identifying the photojournalist as Cyril Theophilos.
“This was not a misunderstanding … It was a violent assault on clearly identified journalists and a direct attack on press freedom,” the FPA said.
“The use of force was excessive and dangerous. Pointing rifles at journalists and civilians, physically assaulting a cameraman, and detaining a crew are actions that cross every line.
“Such behaviour reflects a deeply alarming pattern of hostility toward the media and cannot be tolerated under any circumstances,” the FPA said, demanding an investigation into the incident.
The military said the incident will be probed.
“The soldiers’ conduct and statements in this incident do not represent the IDF, go against what is expected of IDF soldiers and will be investigated,” military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani wrote on X.
“I apologised privately, and I will say it again — this shouldn’t have happened. Our job is to maintain law and order, among that is allowing for freedom of the press.”
The incident is the second such event involving CNN this month.
Days ago, during Ramazan, a CNN producer was left with a fractured wrist following an “unprovoked assault” by Israeli police officers.
That incident happened when journalists were documenting worshippers praying outside the walls of the Old City in East Jerusalem.
Violence in the West Bank has continued unabated even after the October 2025 ceasefire in Gaza, and since the outbreak of the current war in the Middle East, there has been a fresh spate of deadly attacks by Israeli settlers.
