A Jerusalem man was indicted on Thursday after two foreign news crews were blocked on a dirt road near the West Bank village of Sinjil and threatened by a group armed with stones, clubs and a knife.
Yitzhak Yissachar Holtzman was charged in the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court with intentionally damaging a vehicle, unlawful possession of a knife and making threats.
The journalists included CNN Jerusalem correspondent Jeremy Diamond, who said after the July 11 incident that Israeli settlers armed with clubs, rocks and a knife had blocked the crews’ route and attacked them and another group of journalists.
Diamond said the crews had been reporting at the same location where Palestinian-American Saif Musallet was killed one year earlier. Soldiers who later reached the scene detained some of those allegedly involved until police arrived, he said.
According to the amended indictment, five journalists from CNN and an Italian news organization were traveling in two vehicles shortly before 12:45 p.m. when they encountered a Mitsubishi blocking the dirt road and preventing them from continuing.
The journalists allegedly saw Holtzman and three other men nearby, some carrying stones and others clubs.
Holtzman allegedly came down from a nearby hill holding a club in one hand and a stone in the other, made a throwing motion toward the journalists and shouted at them to stop.
Suspect allegedly tried to stop vehicle with knife, club
He then allegedly received a locking knife from one of the other men and tried to cut the front-right tire of the first vehicle. Prosecutors said he also attempted to place the club inside the wheel to keep the vehicle from moving.
When the first vehicle continued, Holtzman allegedly jumped onto the hood of the second and struck its windshield with the club while trying to stop it from driving away, breaking the glass.
Although Holtzman is the only defendant, the indictment alleges that he and the three other men acted together in threatening the journalists and damaging the vehicle.
Police arrested four suspects following the incident. Holtzman was released to house arrest on July 15, while the other three were released under restrictive conditions. Their alleged involvement remains under investigation.