Russian-born Israeli freelance journalist Nick Kolyohin was removed by Shin Bet agents from the Wing of Zion plane Tuesday morning after boarding the aircraft for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s flight to Washington.

Kolyohin, who had been scheduled to cover Netanyahu’s meeting with US President Donald Trump for three Russian television channels, said he originally received approval from the Prime Minister’s Office to join the flight along with a slate of other journalists.

“If there are checks, do them in advance. Why at the last minute, and why without an explanation?” he told Channel 12 news.

Unlike Netanyahu’s two most recent trips to the United States, reporters were allowed this time to travel aboard the prime minister’s plane, the Wing of Zion. But after Kolyohin boarded the media section with about 10 other journalists and stowed his bags, he told AFP, Shin Bet agents approached him and asked him to disembark.

He said the Shin Bet officers informed him that........

© The Times of Israel