Likud MK Amit Halevi has called on Constitution Committee Chair Simcha Rothman to convene a hearing in light of the investigation of Jerusalem Post editor Zvika Klein in the Qatargate affair.
On Tuesday, it was cleared for publication that Klein is the journalist who was summoned to give an open statement in the Qatargate affair. Hours later, the open statement was reclassified as a warning interrogation. Klein, 42, is editor-in-chief of the Jerusalem Post and a social activist focused on Israel-US relations. He previously worked for Maariv and Makor Rishon and served as an adviser to the President's Residence on Diaspora Jewry.
During his visit to Doha, Klein met with senior Qatari officials, including Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani.
"If it is true that during his arrest his phone was taken without a warrant, this is particularly serious," MK Halevi wrote. "To my great astonishment, there has been almost no response from those who routinely champion freedom of the press, from senior journalists, the Press Council, or human rights organizations."
"Freedom of the press and freedom of expression are cornerstones of Israel as a free and democratic state. It is therefore our duty as members of Knesset to ensure that law enforcement agencies act lawfully, that the arrest is based on criminal offenses unrelated to press freedom, and that the arrest and seizure of the phone were carried out in accordance with the law."
