Israeli police are pushing to keep Palestinian journalist Latifeh Abdellatif in custody in Jerusalem on accusations of “incitement” and “supporting terrorism,” despite a court ruling for her release on Monday. Abdellatif, a freelance photojournalist whose work has been featured by major outlets including Reuters, BBC, and Al Jazeera, was arrested on Sunday. While police claim she was taken from her home in the Old City, her lawyer and mother insist she was detained in the street by officers in unmarked vehicles.
Authorities allege that Abdellatif’s social media activity, particularly a video she shared of former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar calling for martyrdom, constitutes glorification of terrorism. However, Abdellatif denies the charges, arguing that her posts are part of her journalistic work. Her lawyer, Nasser Odeh, emphasised that the content in question is over six months old and does not pose a public threat.
Appearing in court via video link on Monday, Abdellatif was ordered released under restrictive conditions, including a bail payment of 2,000 shekels ($550) and a 10,000-shekel guarantee for future investigation compliance.
Despite this, Israeli police swiftly appealed the ruling, temporarily freezing her release while the appeal is reviewed. Odeh stated that she had undergone three hours of interrogation concerning her social media posts.
Abdellatif, who has reported on tensions surrounding the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, has previously been harassed by Israeli security forces while covering events in Jerusalem. CNN had documented instances where she was pushed aside and verbally abused by officers, despite only filming on the sidelines.
Colleagues and family describe Abdellatif as a professional and dedicated journalist, with one unnamed reporter expressing fears that journalists in Jerusalem are increasingly at risk of incitement-related charges. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reports that since the onset of the Gaza war, an unprecedented number of journalists have been detained. As of March 13, 2025, CPJ has recorded 75 arrests of journalists across the occupied Palestinian territories, with 70 carried out by Israeli authorities.
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate has strongly condemned Abdellatif’s arrest, highlighting that at least eight journalists have been detained or expelled from the Old City and al-Aqsa Mosque this month alone.
