RAI reporter calls murdered Israelis ‘hikers’ and faces threats

Italian journalist Giovan Battista Brunori, correspondent for RAI, received threats and a hostile campaign from pro-Palestinian activists after reporting on an attack near the Palestinian village of Tell. Israeli security coordinator Benayahu Melt and IDF officer Yuval Ezra were killed when a Palestinian seized Melt's weapon and began shooting.

Brunori's use of the term "hikers" to describe the victims sparked backlash, with critics accusing him of minimizing settler violence. Pro-Palestinian activists and Italian left-leaning figures claimed Brunori was presenting the Israelis as innocent civilians. The campaign escalated rapidly into threats against Brunori and his family, as well as the circulation of an antisemitic caricature.

RAI CEO Giampaolo Rossi defended Brunori, condemning both the threats and the use of antisemitic imagery. Brunori clarified that the group was composed of settlers from Havat Gilad, including families and children who were hiking and not armed. He acknowledged the possibility that Palestinians may have viewed their presence as provocative, but argued that this did not justify labeling the entire group as violent settlers.

The controversy also involved an organization linked to Mohammad Hannoun, a figure connected to suspected Hamas-support activity and fundraising networks, which sent RAI a legal warning demanding the use of the term "violent settlers." Brunori has reported on both settler violence against Palestinians and attacks targeting Israelis.

He described the backlash against him as part of a "poisoned culture of wokeism" aimed at silencing dissenting views. The case highlights a larger dispute at RAI regarding coverage of Israel and the ongoing conflict. Other journalists and senior figures at the broadcaster have faced criticism for their positions on Israel, including Incoronata Boccia and Antonino Monteleone.

RAI union members have accused Brunori of being a "tool of occupation propaganda," while others have defended his professionalism and denounced the campaign against him. Politicians on the Italian right and Jewish community leaders have also condemned the attacks on Brunori, while left-wing lawmakers have accused left-leaning political figures and organizations of creating a hostile environment for journalists who do not adhere to their preferred framing of Israel.