BEIRUT: An Israeli journalist has been arrested in Lebanon after entering the country using a British passport, according to reports from Israeli and Lebanese media on Wednesday.
The pro-Hezbollah Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar identified the journalist as Joshua Tartakovsky, an Israeli citizen who reportedly entered Lebanon two weeks ago. Tartakovsky, born in the US, raised suspicions due to his behavior, leading to his eventual arrest by Lebanese security forces.
When arrested on Tuesday, authorities discovered that Tartakovsky was carrying both British and Israeli passports, violating laws in both Israel and Lebanon that prohibit Israeli citizens from entering Lebanon.
A security source confirmed to Arab News that Tartakovsky had been in Beirut’s southern suburbs in recent days, reportedly covering Israeli strikes in the area.
“He entered Lebanon as part of a group of foreign journalists who arrived in Beirut to cover the ongoing events in Lebanon and who visit the southern suburb and certain areas on a daily basis under the pretext of inspecting the destruction,” said the source, who requested anonymity.
The southern suburbs, heavily targeted by Israeli airstrikes, have seen widespread displacement and severe damage. The area is monitored by Hezbollah, who not only control journalists’ access but also guard the buildings against looting.
A security source stated that Tartkovsky has been referred to the judiciary, which will decide whether he will be deported or arrested.
“This is similar to other foreign nationals accused of collaboration, who have been arrested and tried in Lebanon unless their countries request extradition. The final decision rests with the Lebanese government,” the souce explained.
A judicial source told Arab News that “there is a strong inclination to deport the detained journalist without awaiting any extradition request. In this case, he would be handed over to the British embassy, which would facilitate his deportation from Lebanon.”
Tartakovsky, according to his profile on Vision Magazine, describes himself as an independent journalist. He studied at Brown University and the London School of Economics. He entered Lebanon alongside other journalists before his arrest.
Israeli media reported that Tartakovsky, who grew up in an ultra-Orthodox Jewish family and served in the Israeli army, reaching the rank of first sergeant, has been a contributor of “Zo Haderech,” a website associated with Israel’s far-left and anti-Zionist movements.
He has also previously worked for the Global Public Policy Institute in Berlin, the International Defense and Security Team at Transparency International in London, and the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs in Israel.
