Sri Lanka, Sept. 9 -- A group of Sri Lankan journalists is currently in Israel on what is being described as a "study tour" aimed at giving foreign media and policymakers a clearer understanding of Israel's current situation. At face value, such visits may appear harmless or even educational. Yet, the context in which this tour takes place, and the manner in which it has been organized, raise serious ethical and political questions that cannot be ignored.

The tour comes at a time when Israel's ongoing war in Gaza has killed more than 270 journalists, according to press freedom watchdogs. Media rights groups across the globe have condemned Israel's actions in Gaza as one of the deadliest assaults on journalists in modern history. At the s...