"I also urge you to provide additional context regarding Israel’s military occupation and apartheid regime. More context will enable your reader to better understand that Indonesia’s refusal to host Israel’s Under 20 soccer team is based on support for Palestinian self-determination and anti-colonialism."
March 29, 2023
To:
Niniek Karmini, Journalist, Associated Press
Josef Federman, News Director, Associated Press
Greg Giddens, Managing Editor, Chronicle Journal
Dear Ms. Karmini, Mr. Federman, and Mr. Giddens,
I’m writing to you on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME, https://www.cjpme.org) to express my concern regarding the article “Soccer stance could be costly” authored by Niniek Karmini of the Associated Press and published by the Chronicle Journal on March 29, 2023.
First, you describe the Palestine-Israel conflict as an “emotional issue.” This is a gross misrepresentation and misleading to your audience. You fail to provide any context regarding Israel’s military occupation or its apartheid system.
Israel has militarily occupied Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem since 1967, as confirmed by the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice, and the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention. Israel has also established over 100 illegal settlements on Palestinian indigenous land. Palestinian citizens of Israel and Palestinians in the Occupied Territories live under an apartheid system that is oppressive and discriminatory as documented by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Israeli B’Tselem. In other words, the conflict is not an emotional issue, but rather one of principle for the Indonesian people concerned about the oppression of Palestinians by Israel’s occupying military force.
I ask that you change the title of the article to “Principled stance could be costly,” to properly reflect the tough decision facing Indonesia. Obviously, Indonesians were looking forward to hosting the tournament, and are now forced to either lose the opportunity, or compromise their principles.
I also urge you to provide additional context regarding Israel’s military occupation and apartheid regime. More context will enable your reader to better understand that Indonesia’s refusal to host Israel’s Under 20 soccer team is based on support for Palestinian self-determination and anti-colonialism.
I hope to see these updates promptly made. 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