Lebanese security authorities have deported Israeli journalist Yeshua Tartakovsky, who was arrested in Beirut on charges of espionage.
According to “Israel Hayom,” Tartakovsky was deported from Lebanon to the United States following American intervention.
Lebanese media reports indicate that Tartakovsky entered Lebanon about two weeks ago using a British passport.
However, suspicions arose, leading to his arrest after an Israeli identity document was found in his possession.
Tartakovsky, a U.S.-born independent journalist, studied at Brown University and the London School of Economics and had entered Lebanon with other journalists.
His social media profiles suggest that this was not his first visit to Beirut. “Behadrei Haredim,” an Israeli news outlet, noted that Tartakovsky is a former orthodox Jew, raised in a strict religious family, and served in the Israeli army, reaching the rank of Staff Sergeant.
He has written for “Zo Haderech,” a site associated with the Israeli extreme left.
Tartakovsky has also worked at the Global Public Policy Institute in Berlin, the International Defence and Security team at Transparency International in London, and the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs in Israel.
Regarding Tartakovsky’s arrest, an Israeli army spokesperson said, “The matter is known to the relevant Israeli authorities and is being handled by the authorized agencies,” adding, “Unfortunately, this is not the first time Israeli citizens have entered the territory of hostile countries despite legal prohibitions, posing a clear danger to their security.”
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs announced that one-quarter of Lebanese territory has been ordered by Israel to evacuate, highlighting the expansion of Israel’s conflict with Hezbollah and the worsening humanitarian crisis in Lebanon.
The office stated that “the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon is dangerously deteriorating,” noting that “Israeli airstrikes have not only intensified but have also expanded to previously unaffected areas, increasingly targeting essential civilian infrastructure.”
