Israeli Govt. Denies Rolling Stone a Press Credential After Critical Coverage
The Israeli government has denied a press credential to Rolling Stone journalist Jesse Rosenfeld, who has covered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration critically — and the civilians on both sides of the conflict with nuance and sensitivity.
“Rolling Stone is not a news organization and we are not dealing with this gentleman [Rosenfeld], thank you,” Ron Paz, Israel’s director of foreign press, told Rolling Stone on Monday before hanging up on a call about securing a press credential for Rosenfeld, a contributing writer.
Rosenfield — a seasoned conflict reporter who has reported from the front lines of the revolts, revolutions, occupations, military crackdowns, and wars across the Middle East — has filed several dispatches for Rolling Stone since the conflict between Israel and Hamas began when Hamas launched a coordinated attack on multiple Israeli targets on Oct. 7.
His coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict for Rolling Stone has highlighted Israelis responding to the initial attacks, as well as the plight of Palestinians living in Gaza during Israel’s ongoing siege. Rosenfeld spoke to relatives of Israelis who went missing during the conflict, including at least one who blamed Netanyahu for failing to prevent the carnage. Rosenfeld has also contributed nuanced reporting about how Palestinians are struggling to survive the conflict — as they braced for war earlier this month, as Israel told over a million civilians to evacuate ahead of continued attacks, and as the Gaza Strip lost internet and phone service last week.
In July, Rosenfeld reported for Rolling Stone on the massive protests triggered by Netanyahu’s attempts to radically remake the Israeli judiciary. That story — which includes quotes from two former Israeli prime ministers — generated a fierce backlash from organizations friendly to Netanyahu’s point of view. “Rolling Stone jumps on pro-terrorist bandwagon,” proclaimed The Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis.
Rosenfeld has been covering Israeli and Palestinian society since 2007 for Vice, The Daily Beast, The Intercept, and elsewhere. He uncovered and investigated Israeli executions of Palestinian fighters during the 2014 Gaza war, and has also reported on the war against ISIS in Iraq, the Arab Spring, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Egyptian student leaders who disappeared into military intelligence black sites, and other issues transforming the Middle East.
Alongside Rosenfeld’s dispatches, Rolling Stone’s coverage of the conflict has included a dispatch from the West Bank, commentary on Netanyahu’s role in the war; reporting on protests and misinformation; and in-depth coverage of the devastation Hamas caused in its attack on the Supernova music festival, the worst civilian massacre in Israel’s history.
Despite the efforts of Netanyahu’s press department, Rolling Stone and Rosenfeld will continue reporting on this war and the region.
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