"I take issue with the language used to discuss the legal status of Israel’s colonial settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). In the article you state “Since then, more than 700,000 Israelis have moved into dozens of Jewish settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem — which most of the world considers an obstacle to peace.” In an article by Ilan Ben Zion published by Associated Press, he states that “Most of the international community considers Israel’s West Bank settlements illegal and an obstacle to peace with the Palestinians.” Just as Ilan Ben Zion mentions these two points, I believe it is important and necessary that you do."
March 22, 2023
To:
Laurie Kellman, Journalist, Associated Press
Josef Federman, News Director, Associated Press
Anne Marie Owens, Editor-in-Chief, Toronto Star
Donovan Vincent, Public Editor, Toronto Star
Dear Ms. Kellman, Mr. Federman, Ms. Owens, and Mr. Vincent,
I’m writing to you on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME, https://www.cjpme.org) to insist on the inclusion of additional details in the article “Netanyahu seeks to soothe US concerns over settlement repeal,” authored by Laurie Kellman, Associated Press and published in the Toronto Star on March 22, 2023.
While the article addresses the Knesset’s Tuesday vote to revoke the 2005 law that dismantled settlements in four areas of the occupied West Bank, it ignores extremely important context regarding the Israeli government’s promise in February to halt settlement expansion. Fully describing Netanyahu’s promise from February would emphasize how shocking the Knesset’s vote is, and why the Biden administration is so upset. Without such context, the reader is almost left wondering why the Biden administration sought to summon Israel’s ambassador in Washington.
Netanyahu’s office stated in February that it will not authorize any new settlements beyond the nine wildcat outposts that have already been approved as reported by Associated Press on February 20. Nonetheless, the right-wing Israeli government went ahead with 9 previously approved outposts, and at least 7,000 housing units as reported by Associated Press on February 23 and confirmed by anti-settlement watchdog Peace Now.
Moreover, I take issue with the language used to discuss the legal status of Israel’s colonial settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). In the article you state “Since then, more than 700,000 Israelis have moved into dozens of Jewish settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem — which most of the world considers an obstacle to peace.” In an article by Ilan Ben Zion published by Associated Press, he states that “Most of the international community considers Israel’s West Bank settlements illegal and an obstacle to peace with the Palestinians.” Just as Ilan Ben Zion mentions these two points, I believe it is important and necessary that you do.
Failing to do so presents the illegality of settlements as if it is a matter of mere opinion. In fact, it is a violation of Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention which states that an occupying power “shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies.”[1] There is no ambiguity about this question and it should be explicitly stated.
I ask that you update your article to provide this important context to emphasize and clarify that illegal settlement expansion is ongoing in the occupied West Bank.
I also ask that such contextual concerns are addressed in future reporting.
Should you wish, you can contact me at 438-380-5410 for more information.
Sincerely,
Tayla Shair
Media Analyst, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East
[1] Fourth Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, Article 49, August 12, 1949, https://www.un.org/en/genocideprevention/documents/atrocity-crimes/Doc.33_GC-IV-EN.pdf