Israel has announced it is suspending plans to institute security checks of journalistsseeking accreditation from the Government Press Office.
Mr Arnon Perlman, an adviser to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, said late last night the Israeli Government Press Office (GPO) would re-examine the issue.
GPO director Mr Daniel Seaman had pushed for the clearances by the national Shin Bet security service. The Haaretznewspaper reported today that Mr Seaman would soon be replaced, as he had failed to win an internal tender extending his tenure at the GPO. He denied it.
Israel's Foreign Press Association had protested the GPO security scrutiny as "an utter violation of freedom of the press", and national press groups have also voiced opposition.
GPO-issued press cards are required in Israel to crosspolice lines, cover events in government offices or attend news conferences by top officials and military officers.
Mr Seaman said earlier this month Israeli and foreignjournalists seeking GPO accreditation would undergo securitychecks due to mounting security concerns arising from athree-year-old Palestinian uprising.
About 15,000 journalists holding GPO-issued press cardswould have had to produce a lawyer's affidavit they were indeed journalists and pay a fee for a press pass under the new rules.
MrSeaman had said credentials would be denied only ininstances where a journalist was proved to be "a clear andpresent danger to the public or (have) involvement with aterrorist organisation".