LONDON: Last week, Layal Alekhtiar, one of Al-Arabiya News Channel鈥檚 main anchors, was getting ready for yet another long day in front of the camera as the Israeli-Hamas conflict continued to intensify.

Alekhtiar, an experienced Lebanese journalist who has worked for outlets such as US-funded Alhurra and Lebanon鈥檚 LBC, was well equipped for what the day could hold for her. After all, she had interviewed prime ministers, foreign secretaries and a host of other high-level officials and delegates.

That day, however, she was told one of her interview subjects was Avichay Adraee, a lieutenant colonel in the Israel Defense Forces who serves as the head of the Arab media division of the force鈥檚 Spokesperson鈥檚 Unit.

Alekhtiar shuffled her notes, prepared and ready to conduct the interview with integrity as she does with every other guest on her program.

What she was not ready for was the barrage of harassment, abuse and hate targeted at her by loyalists of Hezbollah 鈥� the Iran-backed Lebanese militia 鈥� that came soon after.

Thousands of replies and comments accusing Alekhtiar of being a traitor and Israeli spy flooded her X and Instagram accounts.

鈥淚 conducted the interview respectfully, asked all the necessary questions, and I ended the interview, that鈥檚 it, nothing more. I didn鈥檛 praise him, but I didn鈥檛 insult him either,鈥� Alekhtiar told Arab News.

鈥淎 respectable journalist will respect their guest, no matter who it may be, even if it鈥檚 someone from the opposition.鈥�

In one of her most recent posts mourning a fellow journalist, Giselle Khoury, who had just lost a years long battle with cancer, the comments ranged from 鈥淩IP鈥� to ones wishing death upon her.

鈥淚 hope we鈥檒l be saying goodbye to you with some missile to blow you up,鈥� one comment read.

Another said: 鈥淢ay God have mercy on her and I hope we will see you with her soon.鈥�

One comment on Instagram even went as far as asking her 鈥淲hat will you think when Avichay Adraee deprives you of your son?鈥�

Alekhtiar said: 鈥淟ebanese journalists have interviewed Israelis in the past, Palestinians are interviewing Israelis right now鈥� How will you get a second point of view (if you do not)? You are obliged to as a journalist.鈥�

Indeed, she is not the only Lebanese journalist to have interviewed Israelis or Israeli officials. The late and renowned anchor Najwa Qassem interviewed Israeli orientalist and political analyst Edy Cohen on Al Arabiya, and Sky News Arabia鈥檚 Algerian presenter Fadila Souissi interviewed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2022.

The issue, however, did not stop there. After the online smear campaign kicked off, a reporter from a group of 鈥渏ournalists of the South鈥� stated that they will not let her into Lebanon and will report her.

They then raised the issue of the country鈥檚 Military Court on the basis that Israel and Lebanon are technically at war, and being in contact with enemy officials would be treasonous.

The group of journalists and ex-detainees of Israel, which included Syrian News Channel鈥檚 Hussein Mortada, filed a lawsuit which stated:

鈥淎ttorney Ghassan Al-Mawla has filed a report before the Military Court against the Zionist Layal Al-Ekhtiar, who claims to be a journalist (report no. 20355/2023, dated 12/10/2023), for conducting an interview on the the Hebrew channel (referring to Al Arabiya) with the Zionist killer, Avichay Adraee.鈥�

鈥淓very communication is a contribution to the shedding of Palestinian blood, including children, women, and the elderly, and we as detainees will not spare any of these traitors and we will hold them accountable.鈥�

Shortly after, Alekhtiar claims she received calls from insiders at the Lebanese government warning her not to return to her home country as she could be arrested on the spot.

鈥淐urrently I can鈥檛 go to Beirut, journalists and politicians have advised me not to go to Lebanon because I will be arrested,鈥� she told Arab News as her voice cracked, fighting back tears.

鈥淧eople are trying to intimidate journalists. They鈥檙e saying 鈥榣ook at what we can do, we can stop you and prevent you from entering the country,鈥欌€� she said, adding: 鈥淲hat I鈥檓 sure of is, I won鈥檛 back down or change. I won鈥檛 change my beliefs.

鈥淚f I get scared and am silenced, this will happen to any other journalist.鈥�

Alekhiar is not new to assault or attacks from pro-Hezbollah trolls online. In 2021, she was subjected to a smear campaign by 鈥渋ndividuals allied to Hezbollah鈥� and was threatened with murder via text.

The threats followed her previous tweet commenting on a Qassem Soleimani statue in Beirut and quoting a surah from the Qur鈥檃n.

As for now, the journalist has decided to stay in Dubai, while members of her family who are based in Beirut are being subjected to harassment as an intimidation tactic used against her.

鈥淚f you want to criticize and start a hate campaign, at least stick to the ethics of journalism and ethics of political communication. It doesn鈥檛 have to be personal and it doesn鈥檛 need to involve my family,鈥� she said.