Belgrade weekly Nedeljnik said that the Serbian authorities played a key role in evacuating 5 Palestinian NBC reporters and their family members from Gaza in August.
Nedeljnik said that it was told by Serbian and American sources that Serbia issued travel documents to the 5 Palestinian journalists and 3 of their family members. They were evacuated following weeks of preparation with the approval of the Israeli government.
The operation started when an NBC producer asked Serbia’s ambassador in Washington DC Dragan Sutanovac for help at a diplomatic reception. Ambassador Sutanovac then contacted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to the unnamed sources, official Belgrade issued the travel documents and the Palestinian journalists and family members were evacuated through Jordan with the involvement of Lebanon, the Israeli COGAT and Serbia’s embassy in Israel.
The Israeli authorities initially approved the evacuation of 6 people but agreed to another 2 following days of negotiation. The convoy evacuating them was attacked by Hamas and had to return and try again. They flew to Serbia from Jordan and then on to other destinations.
NBC refused a Nedeljnik request for a comment.
Source: N1
