A man in his 20s was arrested in Holon on Monday on suspicion of threatening journalists, the Israel Police reported.
About a month ago, a complaint was filed with law-enforcement authorities regarding threats written on the Channel 14 website against three of its reporters, the police said.
The incident comes amid a broader rise in intimidation and harassment targeting journalists in Israel, where reporters across the political spectrum have increasingly faced threats, online abuse, and pressure regarding their coverage.
Concern raised among press-freedom groups
Recent cases have raised concerns among media organizations and advocates of press freedom. They included threats against Channel 12 journalist Guy Peleg, who aired footage from the Sde Teiman detention facility, and reports of harassment of journalists covering the Israel-Hamas War.
The suspect, who had been out of the country, returned to Israel on Sunday night. He was arrested at his home and detained for questioning.
“Contrary to various reports, the investigation and its findings did not reveal any suspicion that he [the suspect] had attached a tracking device to any of the reporters, but rather wrote statements online,” the police said.
After interrogation, he was released to house arrest and ordered to stay away from Modi’in, where Channel 14 is based.