Mecca regional authorities have “referred a citizen” for prosecution over alleged complicity in “transferring and facilitating the entry of a [non-Muslim] journalist,” according to a police spokesperson cited by the official Saudi Press Agency.
The journalist, who was not named in the initial release, has been identified as Gil Tamary, an Israeli-Jewish reporter with Channel 13 who has dual citizenship as an American citizen.
The case has been referred to prosecutors “to take the necessary procedures against him in accordance with the applied laws,” read the SPA report.
In a roughly 10-minute clip that debuted on Monday, Tamary is seen visiting Mount Arafat, the hill where many believe Prophet Muhammad delivered the Farewell Sermon.
The journalist acknowledges that he is breaking the the law by merely being in Mecca, but qualified his visit due to his desire to showcase "a place that is so important to our Muslim brothers and sisters.”
The debacle comes shortly after US President Joe Biden’s multi-day visits to Israel and Saudi Arabia.