A number of female reporters covering US Vice President Mike Pence’s visit to the Western Wall in Jerusalem on January 23 complained after they were segregated from their male colleagues.
“We women are literally stuck in a pen,” said reporter Noga Tarnopolsky in a video she posted on Twitter.
Tarnopolsky later said that, after complaints were made about being unable to see Pence, an awning that was blocking the women’s view was removed.
Haaretz said that the US embassy in Israel was in charge of the media arrangements for the visit to the wall, and not the Israeli government press office. However, Tarnopolsky said she was told by White House officials that the separation was at the request of “the Western Wall rabbi.”
The Jerusalem Post reported that the female journalists were placed behind a barrier in “keeping with Jewish tradition at the holy site”. However, Tarnopolsky said that she had covered many visits and “this was an aberrant first.” Credit: Noga Tarnopolsky via Storyful
