Israeli police establish special department to monitor foreign journalists

Israeli police establish special department to monitor foreign journalists Submitted by Nadav Rapaport on Tue, 05/19/2026 - 14:30 Foreign journalists in Israel have faced increased monitoring and restrictions in the occupied West Bank Israeli mounted police intervene during a protest by left-wing activists against the ongoing war with Iran at Habima Square in Tel Aviv on 4 April 2026 (Ilia Yefimovich/AFP) Off The Israeli police is operating a special department in the occupied West Bank to monitor foreign journalists who wish to enter Israel or the occupied Palestinian territory. According to a report by Haaretz on Tuesday, the special police department works closely with Israel's Population and Immigration Authority, which is stationed at international crossings as well as the Allenby Bridge Crossing in the West Bank. Haaretz obtained a police document detailing articles and social media activity by Alessandro Stefanelli, an Italian freelance journalist, who entered Israel and the West Bank several times in the past.