DUBAI - Arabic satellite television Al Arabiya accused Israel on Tuesday of violating press freedom and called on Israel to stop banning one of its journalists from travelling to the West Bank and Gaza.
The Dubai-based channel said Israeli forces, which control all access to Palestinian-ruled areas except from Egypt, had stopped journalist Basim El Jamal from entering, citing "security reasons".
Israeli officials were not immediately available to comment.
"Al Arabiya considers this unwarranted and unexplained embargo as flying straight into the face of freedom of the press and the right of journalists to go about their legitimate duties unhindered," the channel said in a statement.
It said Jamal, a British citizen, was prevented from entering the Palestinian territories on three occasions this year.
"Ultimately, we call for the immediate lifting of the entry ban unjustly imposed on Al Arabiya journalist Basim El Jamal," the statement added.
