ANKARA
Israel's government press office has sent a letter of apology to the Turkish media workers union following a written complaint about the treatment of two Anadolu Agency reporters.
"Apologies for the unfortunate incident. The letter has been forwarded to the Prime Minister's Office of Israel," the government press office said in an email.
Union Chairman Gursel Eser had written to the press office urging Israeli officials to abstain from practices which violate press freedom.
AA photojournalist Salih Zeki Fazlioglu and Jerusalem correspondent Taner Aydin were asked to remove their trousers while passing through an X-Ray machine after arriving at a January 16 event hosted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Fazlioglu was also asked to submit to a below-waist hand search.
He was told they had been singled out as those carrying Turkish passports face additional security searches due to Israel considering people from Turkey a "high threat" to its security.
Anadolu Agency Director General and Board Chairman Kemal Ozturk also sent a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu condemning the treatment of the two journalists.
Ozturk stressed the irony of Israel's actions, considering that the event was organized in honor of international journalists.
englishnews@aa.com.tr
