Okay, I got permission from Rinat to publish the letter. I've omitted the journalist's name at the end, at her request. A little background: he grew up in Brazil, but was born in Lebanon to Palestinian and Lebanese parents and returned to Lebanon as a young adult. Rinat said she was very surprised that he wrote the letter, because he is virulently anti Israel and quite buddy-buddy with the Hezbollah guys down south. ******* Dear editor, I`ve read the Nour Samaha's article about the two israeli journalists, which one of them was also brazilian. I think Samaha's article got the point. But there are some things that the public probably doesn't know. I am a Brazilian journalist and a BBC Brasil world service reporter in Lebanon. Nour Samaha knows me. After reading the article I decided to write you and I hope this comment reaches Nour, since I don't have her e-mail. Rinat Malkes, the 'israeli' journalist is in fact Renata Malkes, who came to Lebanon as part of the crew of TV Record, one of the leading tv stations in Brazil. After we discovered she was also israeli, we saw thet she lives in Israel/Palestine for only 5 years. For us, brazilians, she is Brazilian. And, we don't check the background of fellow coleagues, this is police's job, general security's job at the airport at the moment they gave her the visa. She works as a producer and also writes for the Brazilian newspaper O Globo. They contacted the Brazilian Consulate and I met them through the Brazilian Ambassador. We were with Brazilians, and brazilians don't care about what religion, etnic group or family's name a person has). I true understand that the case of the two israelis in lebanon was imoral for the lebanese, and in their view there was a lack of ethics (since we`re living in such conflicts in the middle east and we are prevented from doing our job because of rules and old believes in security). I cannot disagree with them...it's their right to feel fooled or insulted and i respect it. But I couldn't agree with some of the points in the article proposed by the professors. I will give my reasons. First of all, Renata Malkes came to Lebanon on assignment to TV Record and O Globo. If she acted unethic also writing for yediot ahranot is another problem. Second, until I know (and regarding my own experience). There are many places in the south that Hezbollah has to give permission. The false idea of the lebanese Army controlling the south is something that most Lebanese really wanted to believe but doesn't reflect the reality. Third, I couldn't believe when I read what the 'geniouses' professors said. CONTROL over foreign journalists? Well, this is the last step for a regime. And what suprises me that one of them was a journalism professor. Where`s Press Freedom? Obviously, press freedom doesn't mean break the laws. Many journalists think they are above the law. But if one of the journalism's purpose is to monitor the centre of powers, governments and their acts. How can we say that we must serve governments purposes? Fourth, it quite obvious that there are many people who visited or worked in Israel before coming to lebanon (not my case, since I came from Spain and before from Brazil). So, we know many people change their passports to avoid not getting visas to Lebanon or Syria. Isn't that breaking the law? Fifth, I agree that due to the situation Israeli journalists should not come to Lebanon undercover (but why not coming according the law?). but here's an interisting fact. Many media groups from arab countries, including hezbollah's Al Manar, have arab correspondents in Israel/Palestine...that many journalist there work for some media and also contribute to arab media organisations like Al Manar. So, isn't that the same in Malkes's case? So, aren't they breaking the law of their own countries? what's the difference anyway? In my opinion, the fault is from the government. But I agree with one of the professors when he said that there's little to do. Only hope that their reports are fair. I am half palestinian and as so, I would like to report in Palestine and Israel. As a JOURNALIST. It is not up to me get involved in the politcs. And I would be glad if I could do my job without breaking laws. JOURNALISM should last at the end (respecting people and being honest of course). But, if the kind of journalism being taught at the lebanese universities is the one proposed by one of the professors. Poor lebanese press. Best regards,