NBC Cuts Ties With Arrested Palestinian Journalist
NBC says that it cut ties with Marwat Al-Azza, a Palestinian journalist who has been accused of inciting terrorism.
Al-Azza, a 45-year-old living in East Jerusalem, was taken into custody by Israeli police last Friday due to four recent posts on her personal Facebook page. She was arrested on charges of inciting and disseminating materials encouraging terrorism.
The four posts include one in which Al-Azza refers to images of an elderly Israeli woman who was kidnapped on Oct. 7, saying: “It’s killing me, it’s a black comedy, the old woman looks happy, a bit of action before she dies.”
NBC released a statement following Al-Azza’s arrest stating that “[the posts] predate her time us as a freelancer,” and that the organization was “not aware of those posts before [engaging] Ms. Azza four weeks ago.”
NBC also noted that Al-Azza would no longer be employed by the organization going forward.
Israeli authorities reported that Al-Azza arrived at a Jerusalem district police station to be taken into custody without a cell phone but with various phone numbers written on her leg.
Al-Azza’s defense attorney said that his client fully cooperated during her intake hearing and did not attribute her posts to a hacker.
Her detention was lengthened by four additional days by court order following the hearing.
