Female journalist reporting Pence visit in Israel asked to strip for security check
Jerusalem, Jan 25: Female journalists reporting the Israel visit of Vice President Pence had to face several ‘special treatments’ during the entire coverage.
First at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on Monday morning, a visiting female journalist from Finland’s state television was asked to remove her bra during a so-called strict security check when she refused, the journalist, of Palestinian descent — was prevented from covering Pence’s news conference with Netanyahu.
Then later on Tuesday morning, the female journalists were blocked from doing their jobs. They were led to a fenced off area behind their male colleagues, which obstructed their vantage point and prompted many to take to the social media with the hashtag #PenceFence.
Separation at the Western Wall. The women stuck in isolation and can not photograph, work. Women journalists are second-class citizens. The American women photographers are frantically yelling at the representatives of the White House. #PenceFence pic.twitter.com/LFh1AkSROE
— Tal Schneider (@talschneider) January 23, 2018
When it's a bit hard to do your job / women journalists forced to stand behind the men at the separation fence at the western wall for Mike Pence's visit #PenceInIsrael #PenceFence pic.twitter.com/IsXbJ0jTi5
— Ariane Ménage (@ariane_menage) January 23, 2018
For Pence’s visit to the wall, the foundation set up two platforms side by side straddling the barrier. As Pence prayed on the men’s side, however, it was difficult for some of the female journalists to see above the cameras and microphones held by their male colleagues.
“It was the same situation during President Trump’s visit to the Western Wall in May 2017,” said the foundation in a statement. “We reject any attempt to divert the discussion from the important and moving visit of the US Vice President and his wife at the Western Wall.”
