Tunisia World Cup reporter blocks Israel flag wearing fans' photobomb attempt

A Tunisian reporter covering the World Cup in Russia has prevented football fans wearing Israeli flags from appearing on camera during a live broadcast.
1 min read
01 July, 2018
Unlike Tunisia, Israel did not qualify to take part in the World Cup [Hannibal TV]

A Tunisian reporter covering the World Cup in Russia has prevented football fans wearing Israeli flags from appearing on camera during a live broadcast.

Haitham al-Rashidi, a journalist for Tunisian Hannibal TV, blocked the fans while covering Brazil's game against Serbia on Wednesday in Moscow, a video of the incident shows.

"These kind of provocations happen at these events… you should have burnt those flags," studio anchor Adel Bouhallal told the reporter.

Tunisian fans have shared videos of themselves heckling other supporters wearing the Israel flag during the World Cup.

"Long live Palestine," the Tunisian fans can be heard shouting.

The Tunisian football team beat Panama 2-1 last week to secure their their first World Cup finals win in 40 years despite losing any chance for qualification into the second round of the tournament.

Unlike Tunisia, Israel did not qualify to take part in the World Cup.

Tunisia, like most Arab countries, does not have diplomatic relations with Israel.

In April, Tunisia banned Israeli athletes from competing at a taekwondo championship in the North African country after a group of activists opposed to normalisation with Israel filed an urgent lawsuit.