Israel Frey

Frey grew up in Tel Aviv, Israel, in the Ger Hasidic community, an ultra-orthodox sect of Judaism, and has two siblings.{{Cite news |last=Sharir |first=Moran |date=2023-01-13 |title=Journalist Israel Frey: 'If I were Palestinian I would have been jailed and disappeared' |url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2023-01-13/ty-article-magazine/.highlight/journalist-israel-frey-if-i-were-palestinian-i-would-have-been-jailed-and-disappeared/00000185-a801-d948-a1bd-ee03b7c30000 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230113055445/https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2023-01-13/ty-article-magazine/.highlight/journalist-israel-frey-if-i-were-palestinian-i-would-have-been-jailed-and-disappeared/00000185-a801-d948-a1bd-ee03b7c30000 |archive-date=2023-01-13 |access-date=2025-05-13 |work=Haaretz.com |language=en}} His grandfather, Yehuda Meir Abramowicz, was a rabbi and a member of the Knesset (MK) for the Agudat Yisrael party.{{Cite web |date=May 2021 |title='Looking the Occupation in the eye': testimonies of Palestinians' rights defenders before a UN Commission of Inquiry |url=https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/hrbodies/hrcouncil/coiopt/Looking-the-Occupation-in-the-eye.pdf |url-status= |website=UNOHCHR}} Due to his political beliefs, he refused to enlist in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). He has two children and divorced in 2024.{{Cite web |date=2024-07-07 |title=המאבטח שהדליף את התמונה של ישראל פריי פוטר {{!}} ישראל היום |url=https://www.israelhayom.co.il/judaism/judaism-news/article/16038651 |access-date=2025-05-14 |website=Israel Hayom}}

Frey began his journalism career working for Haredi outlets, including Radio Kol Chai and {{ill|Kav Itonut Datit|he|קו עיתונות}} newspapers. One of his tweets sparked controversy when he referred to rabbis as "scum" for supporting Israeli settlers. He was fired under pressure from right-wing activists like Itamar Ben-Gvir.

Frey began working at {{ill|DemocraTV|he|דמוקרטTV}} in 2021, an independent station which frequently criticizes Benjamin Netanyahu.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-12 |title=Police detain far-left reporter for praising attacks on soldiers, settlers |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/police-detain-far-left-reporter-over-praise-for-attacks-on-soldiers-settlers/amp/ |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=The Times of Israel}} During the COVID-19 pandemic, he reported on the lack of observance of COVID prevention rules in the Haredi community.{{Cite news |last=Breiner |first=Josh |date=2022-11-28 |title=Journalist Summoned Over Tweet Praising Palestinian Who Planned Tel Aviv Attack |url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2022-11-28/ty-article/.premium/journalist-questioned-over-tweet-praising-palestinian-arrested-for-planning-terror-attack/00000184-be2a-d53c-a3cf-be2a972f0000 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20221128134359/https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2022-11-28/ty-article/.premium/journalist-questioned-over-tweet-praising-palestinian-arrested-for-planning-terror-attack/00000184-be2a-d53c-a3cf-be2a972f0000 |archive-date=2022-11-28 |work=Haaretz}} He attributed this nonobservance to the importance of communal events in Haredi traditions and rituals.{{Cite web |date=2020-10-25 |title=They're key allies of Benjamin Netanyahu. They're also fueling Israel's big COVID-19 spike |url=https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-10-25/ultra-orthodox-netanyahu-allies-fuel-israel-coronavirus-spike |archive-url=https://archive.today/20201116013653/https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-10-25/ultra-orthodox-netanyahu-allies-fuel-israel-coronavirus-spike |archive-date=2020-11-16 |access-date=2025-05-14 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Sharon |first=Jeremy |date=2021-02-02 |title=COVID-19: Need for haredi communal life outweighs virus risks - analysis |url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/covid-19-need-for-haredi-communal-life-outweighs-virus-risks-analysis-657470 |access-date=2025-06-05 |website=The Jerusalem Post {{!}} JPost.com |language=en}}

Frey tweeted in September 2022 support for a Palestinian man who had been detained on suspicion of planning an attack in Jaffa, praising the man for targeting soldiers instead of attacking civilians.{{Cite web |date=2022-12-27 |title=Israeli police arrest journalist over tweet praising Palestinian suspected fighter |url=https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-journalist-detained-praising-armed-palestinian |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=Middle East Eye |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2022-12-27 |title=Israeli left-wing journalist released after arrest on suspicion of inciting terrorism |url=https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-725919 |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=The Jerusalem Post {{!}} JPost.com |language=en}} The tweet sparked a backlash, and he was fired by DemocraTV a few months later. According to Frey, DemocraTV demanded that he delete the tweet. DemocraTV leadership countered that Frey was let go because of misconduct, not due to his tweets.

In another tweet about the killing of an Israeli soldier in East Jerusalem, Frey wrote that attacking Israeli soldiers is not terrorism.{{Cite news |last=Levi |first=Liran |date=2022-12-27 |title=Haredi journalist detained for alleged incitement to terrorism |url=https://www.ynetnews.com/article/sjfezd00ki |access-date=2025-05-13 |work=Ynetnews |language=en}} Frey was arrested in December 2022 on suspicion of inciting terrorism due to his tweets and was released after questioning.{{Cite web |last=Atzili |first=Boaz |date=2023-01-05 |title=Israel's Netanyahu facing off against the supreme court and proposing to limit judicial independence - and 3 other threats to Israeli democracy |url=https://theconversation.com/israels-netanyahu-facing-off-against-the-supreme-court-and-proposing-to-limit-judicial-independence-and-3-other-threats-to-israeli-democracy-197096 |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=The Conversation |language=en-US}} His attorney claimed that it was "political arrest aimed at...intimidating...anyone in the opposition". His arrest was criticized by the Union of Journalists in Israel as an attack on the freedom of the press.

He is a contributor to Middle East Eye.

Frey posted a video of himself praying the Kaddish for both the Israelis killed in the October 7 attacks and the Palestinian civilians killed by the IDF in the Gaza war.{{Cite news |last=Borger |first=Julian |date=2023-10-22 |title='An atmosphere of fear': free speech under threat in Israel, activists say |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/22/an-atmosphere-of-fear-free-speech-under-threat-in-israel-activists-say |access-date=2025-05-13 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite news |last=England |first=Andrew |date=2024-04-02 |title=Israelis turn on peace activists amid trauma of war |url=https://www.ft.com/content/b9626124-168e-436f-9d53-cc17e8775140 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240403050617/https://www.ft.com/content/b9626124-168e-436f-9d53-cc17e8775140 |archive-date=2024-04-03 |access-date=2025-05-13 |work=Financial Times}} He received threatening messages as a result{{Cite news |last=Diaz |first=Jaclyn |date=2023-10-26 |title=At least 24 journalists have been killed in the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza |url=https://www.npr.org/2023/10/25/1208019720/journalist-deaths-gaza-israel-hamas |access-date=2025-05-13 |work=NPR |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Cohen |first=Ido David |date=2023-10-15 |title=Far-right Israelis threaten, attack left-wing journalist who prayed for Gaza victims |url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2023-10-15/ty-article/.premium/far-right-israelis-threaten-attack-journalist-who-dedicated-a-prayer-to-gaza-victims/0000018b-3434-d450-a3af-7d3ccb9d0000 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240530100906/https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2023-10-15/ty-article/.premium/far-right-israelis-threaten-attack-journalist-who-dedicated-a-prayer-to-gaza-victims/0000018b-3434-d450-a3af-7d3ccb9d0000 |archive-date=2024-05-30 |access-date=2025-05-14 |work=Haaretz.com |language=en}} and he was doxxed with his address details being shared online.{{Cite web |last1=John |first1=Tara |last2=Beilin |first2=Lottie |date=2023-12-03 |title=Why Israel's peace activists are re-evaluating their position on the war |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/03/middleeast/israel-peace-activists-reevaluate-war-hamas-gaza-intl |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=CNN |language=en}}{{Cite magazine |last=Gessen |first=Masha |date=2023-11-08 |title=Inside the Israeli Crackdown on Speech |url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/annals-of-human-rights/inside-the-israeli-crackdown-on-speech |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231109131357/https://www.newyorker.com/news/annals-of-human-rights/inside-the-israeli-crackdown-on-speech |archive-date=2023-11-09 |access-date=2025-05-14 |magazine=The New Yorker |language=en-US |issn=0028-792X}} A crowd of protesters attacked his home in Bnei Brak on the evening of October 14, 2023 with flares and fireworks and attempted to break in.{{Cite web |last=Allsop |first=Jon |date=2023-10-17 |title=The toll on the press so far in Israel, Gaza, and Lebanon |url=https://www.cjr.org/the_media_today/press_threats_israel_gaza_lebanon.php |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=Columbia Journalism Review |language=en}} A neighbor convinced the crowd to allow Frey's wife and two children to leave. Frey was evacuated a few hours later with the assistance of the police who, according to him, spit on him and accused him of supporting Hamas.{{Cite web |date=2023-10-16 |title=Israeli journalist who expressed solidarity with Palestinians attacked by mob |url=https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-palestine-war-journalist-attacked-expressed-solidarity |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=Middle East Eye |language=en}} The police escorted him to his car, and he drove away. Upon realizing that he was being followed by some of the protesters, he drove to Ichilov Hospital. He was eventually able to escape with the help of a friend and hospital security.

The police briefly detained one protester outside his home for refusing to leave. They later made a statement denying Frey's claims of misconduct. Israeli MK Ofer Cassif accused the police of delaying their response to the incident because they did not want to protect a far-left journalist.{{Cite web |date=2023-10-21 |title=Israeli Arabs arrested over Gaza social media posts |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67181582.amp |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=BBC News |language=en-gb}} Frey was still in hiding {{As of|2024|04|lc=y}}. The incident has been cited as an example of backlash against far-left activism,{{Cite news |last=England |first=Andrew |date=2024-04-02 |title=Israelis turn on peace activists amid trauma of war |url=https://www.ft.com/content/b9626124-168e-436f-9d53-cc17e8775140 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://archive.today/2024.04.03-050617/https://www.ft.com/content/b9626124-168e-436f-9d53-cc17e8775140 |archive-date=2024-04-03 |access-date=2025-05-13 |work=Financial Times}}{{Cite web |last=Soussi |first=Alasdair |date=2023-11-02 |title=Pro-Palestinian Israelis face threats, but vow to keep fighting for peace |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/2/pro-palestinian-israelis-face-threats-but-vow-to-keep-fighting-for-peace |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Scheindlin |first=Dahlia |date=2023-11-12 |title=Israel: The Left in Peril |url=https://www.nybooks.com/online/2023/11/12/israel-the-left-in-peril/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://archive.today/2023.11.13-092316/https://www.nybooks.com/online/2023/11/12/israel-the-left-in-peril/ |archive-date=2023-11-13 |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=The New York Review of Books |language=en}} journalism,{{Cite web |last=Allsop |first=Jon |date=2023-10-17 |title=The toll on the press so far in Israel, Gaza, and Lebanon |url=https://www.cjr.org/the_media_today/press_threats_israel_gaza_lebanon.php |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=Columbia Journalism Review |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2023-11-15 |title=Israel’s War on Journalists |url=https://jewishcurrents.org/israels-war-on-journalists |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=Jewish Currents |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Mandour |first=Mohamed |last2=Daoud |first2=Doja |last3=Culebras |first3=Ignacio Miguel Delgado |last4=Alsharif |first4=Samir |date=2025-02-04 |title=Attacks, arrests, threats, censorship: The high risks of reporting the Israel-Gaza war |url=https://cpj.org/2025/02/attacks-arrests-threats-censorship-the-high-risks-of-reporting-the-israel-hamas-war/ |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=Committee to Protect Journalists |language=en-US}} and free speech{{Cite news |last=Borger |first=Julian |date=2023-10-22 |title=‘An atmosphere of fear’: free speech under threat in Israel, activists say |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/22/an-atmosphere-of-fear-free-speech-under-threat-in-israel-activists-say |access-date=2025-05-13 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite news |last=Gessen |first=Masha |date=2023-11-08 |title=Inside the Israeli Crackdown on Speech |url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/annals-of-human-rights/inside-the-israeli-crackdown-on-speech |url-status=live |archive-url=http://archive.today/2023.11.09-131357/https://www.newyorker.com/news/annals-of-human-rights/inside-the-israeli-crackdown-on-speech |archive-date=2023-11-09 |access-date=2025-05-14 |work=The New Yorker |language=en-US |issn=0028-792X}}{{Cite web |last=Goldman |first=Lisa |date=2023-11-01 |title=Israel’s Freedom of Expression Falls Victim to the War in Gaza |url=https://newlinesmag.com/spotlight/israels-freedom-of-expression-falls-victim-to-the-war-in-gaza/ |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=New Lines Magazine |language=en}} in Israel during the Gaza war.

After he tweeted that a Palestinian who attacks Israeli soldiers or settlers should not be considered a terrorist but a hero fighting their oppressor, Frey was detained and interrogated in March 2025 on suspicion of inciting terrorism.{{Cite news |date=2025-03-12 |title=Israeli Police Interrogate Left-wing ultra-Orthodox Journalist on Suspicion of Incitement to Terrorism |url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-03-12/ty-article/.premium/left-wing-ultra-orthodox-journalist-interrogated-on-suspicion-of-incitement-to-terrorism/00000195-8a6a-d4a5-a5dd-9f7e75510000 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250312161633/https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-03-12/ty-article/.premium/left-wing-ultra-orthodox-journalist-interrogated-on-suspicion-of-incitement-to-terrorism/00000195-8a6a-d4a5-a5dd-9f7e75510000 |archive-date=2025-03-12 |work=Haaretz}} Upon his release, he condemned the arrest as a "witch hunt" and stated that he "distinguishes between condemnable harm to innocents and resistance to security forces."

Frey regularly attends the Israeli hostage deal protests in Tel Aviv and has posted footage of Israeli police detaining protesters.{{Cite news |date=2025-01-04 |title=Israeli strikes kill 66 a day after ceasefire talks resume |url=https://www.newarab.com/news/israeli-strikes-kill-66-day-after-ceasefire-talks-resume |work=New Arab}}

Frey's views are considered to be on the far-left, and he believes the Israeli government is fascist. Frey has advocated for Israelis to refuse to serve in the IDF. He believes that Palestinian attacks on Israeli soldiers are not terrorism,{{Cite news |last=Landsmann |first=Carolina |date=2025-03-14 |title=Israel Frey's persecution exposes Israel's intolerance for dissent |url=https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/2025-03-14/ty-article/.premium/israel-freys-persecution-exposes-israels-intolerance-for-dissent/00000195-9132-d155-affd-9d3e201c0000 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250314124141/https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/2025-03-14/ty-article/.premium/israel-freys-persecution-exposes-israels-intolerance-for-dissent/00000195-9132-d155-affd-9d3e201c0000 |archive-date=2025-03-14 |access-date=2025-05-14 |work=Haaretz.com |language=en}} stating that "it’s legitimate for oppressed people to strike at their oppressors". He believes in equality for everyone who lives in Israel and Palestine.

According to Frey, the Gaza war was caused by Israel's "comprehensive plan to crush" Palestinians, and has stated that the full political spectrum of Israeli society, from right to left, is mobilized to view Palestinians as "ISIS, Nazis, and sub-human".{{Cite web |date=2025-01-21 |title=Sight of Hamas fighters celebrating in Gaza chills Israelis |url=https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/sight-hamas-fighters-celebrating-gaza-chills-israelis |access-date=2025-05-14 |website=Middle East Eye |language=en}}

{{reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Frey, Israel}}

Category:Israeli anti-war activists

Category:Living people

Category:Israeli people of the Israel–Hamas war

Category:1987 births

Category:Mass media people from Tel Aviv

Category:Israeli journalists

Category:Jewish Israeli activists for Palestinian solidarity