Israeli troops detain AP photographer

The photographer, Nasser Shiyoukhi, was released without charge after Saturday's incident.

Footage of the incident shows Shiyoukhi, 46, snapping pictures a short distance from Israeli security forces who were scuffling with a protester in the town of Yatta. Protesters had erected a small tent camp on what they say is Palestinian land occupied by Israelis.

An Israeli security man is seen grabbing Shiyoukhi from behind. When he tried to free himself, other Israeli forces also grabbed Shiyoukhi and led him away. In the footage, other Palestinian journalists, including a TV cameraman and reporter holding a microphone, continued to cover the incident without being detained.

"The minute we took pictures, they just grabbed me," Shiyoukhi said. "They didn't say it was a closed area."

Israeli Defense Forces said, however, that the military did declare the area a closed military zone because security forces were seeking to prevent the building of an illegal settlement. "Similar to other such cases, the press corps was asked to maintain a certain perimeter," the military said in an emailed statement. "Unlike many of the other reporters, the photographer in question chose to ignore security personnel instructions, impeding their (the security forces) ability to carry out their mission. As a result, he was apprehended and investigated nearby."