"While the three Israelis who were killed in two incidents are mentioned in the headline and first paragraphs of the article, there is no mention that a Palestinian was killed during the Israeli settler attack on Huwara (Hawara) and surrounding villages. The killing of Sameh al-Aqtash, is the immediate context for the retaliatory attack on an Israeli motorist, and this should have featured prominently in the story. This omission is not acceptable, but shows an unjustified asymmetry in how Israeli and Palestinian casualties are reported."
February 28, 2023
To:
Tim Munroe, Digital Editor, The Hamilton Spectator
Sean Allen, Content Editor, The Hamilton Spectator
Gary Myers, Vice President, The Hamilton Spectator
Josef Federman, News Director, Associated Press (CC)
Nicole Meir, Media Relations Manager, Associated Press (CC)
Dear Mr. Myers, Mr. Allen, Mr. Munroe and those at the Associated Press,
I’m writing to you on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME, https://www.cjpme.org) requesting a necessary correction to your print article, “Palestinian gunman kills Israeli as violence roils in West Bank,” which was published in The Hamilton Spectator on February 28.
The version of the Associated Press (AP) article you printed includes unacceptable omissions. While the three Israelis who were killed in two incidents are mentioned in the headline and first paragraphs of the article, there is no mention that a Palestinian was killed during the Israeli settler attack on Huwara (Hawara) and surrounding villages. The killing of Sameh al-Aqtash,[1] is the immediate context for the retaliatory attack on an Israeli motorist, and this should have featured prominently in the story. This omission is not acceptable, but shows an unjustified asymmetry in how Israeli and Palestinian casualties are reported.
I insist that you provide a written correction or update as soon as possible in a forthcoming edition of the print newspaper.
Further, the article fails to mention Israel’s recent actions in the Palestinian city of Nablus on February 22. The killing of two Israelis in Huwara on February 26 is widely understood to be a response to Israel’s earlier raid on Nablus, which killed at least 10 Palestinians (including two elderly people and a child) and injured over 100. By failing to include this necessary context, your article minimizes Israel’s role in the latest escalation of violence.
I insist that you update the article to include a reference to Israel’s deadly raid on Nablus as context for the latest Palestinian attacks on Israelis.
As it stands, the article you printed does not meet widely shared journalistic ethics in Canada. According to the standards set by the National NewsMedia Council (NNC), of which you are a member, this issue requires your prompt response and resolution. Otherwise, I plan on filing a formal complaint with the NNC for a Media Ethics violation. I am aware that this is an AP wire story, but the NNC clearly states that:
“A news organization is responsible for the third party material it chooses to publish, and that a complaint about such material is a complaint against the news organization.”[2]
Thank you in advance for promptly making these changes. Should you wish, you can contact me at 438-380-5410 for more information.
Sincerely,
Jason Toney
Director of Media Advocacy, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East
[1] Fayha Shalash, “After helping earthquake victims, this Palestinian was killed by an Israeli rampage,” Middle East Eye, February 27, 2023, https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-palestinian-earthquake-victims-killed-rampage
[2] National NewsMedia Council, “Position paper – adjudicating third party content.”