"Israel’s preferred use of the politicized term “Arab” (or “Israeli Arab”) – which your article parrots – is intended to downplay the “Palestinian” identity of the vast majority of the members of this group. It also intentionally downplays the Palestinians’ connection with their land, suggesting that they are indistinguishable from Arabs elsewhere in the Middle East and North Africa."
April 3, 2023
To:
Dan Williams, Journalist, Reuters
Brian Moss, Reporting Standards, Reuters
Bradley Works, Managing Editor, Saltwire
Steve Bartlett, Senior Managing Editor, Saltwire
Dear Mr. Williams, Mr. Moss, Mr. Works, and Mr. Barlett,
I’m writing to you on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME, https://www.cjpme.org) to express concern regarding the article “Israel approves ‘national guard’” authored by Dan Williams of Reuters and printed by The Guardian on April 3, 2023.
I appreciate that your article addresses the alarming authorisation of a “national guard” under right-wing minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. However, I have concerns about problematic and inaccurate language used in your article.
First, a number of times in your article, you refer to Palestinian citizens of the Occupied Territories as “Arabs” rather than “Palestinians,” – for example, “would focus on Arab unrest” and “for support for terrorism and incitement against Arabs – who make up 21 per cent of Israel’s population.”
You may not be aware, but the International Press Institute (IPI) issued a document entitled “Use with Care: A Reporter’s Glossary of Loaded Language in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict” [1] which highlights terms that may be offensive either to Israelis or Palestinians. Concerning the term Israeli Arab, the IPI notes that, “There are Palestinians who prefer ‘Palestinian citizens of Israel’ because a sense of Palestinian identity is dominant among Arabs in Israel, and this term reflects their civil and national identity.”
The Arab and Middle Eastern Journalists Association (AMEJA)[2] also makes the same recommendation.
Israel’s preferred use of the politicized term “Arab” (or “Israeli Arab”) – which your article parrots – is intended to downplay the “Palestinian” identity of the vast majority of the members of this group. It also intentionally downplays the Palestinians’ connection with their land, suggesting that they are indistinguishable from Arabs elsewhere in the Middle East and North Africa.
“Palestinians” include citizens of Israel, the Occupied Palestinian territories, and those in exile who are indigenous to Palestine.[3]
As such, I must ask that you replace all labels of “Arab” with “Palestinian” or “Palestinian citizens.”
Second, your referral to protests within Palestinian communities as “Arab unrest,” misrepresents legitimate concerns of Palestinian citizens regarding Israeli violence and policies. Grievances include but are not limited to forced expulsion and increasing settlement activity, restrictions against travel, segregation, and more.
As such, I ask that you replace “Arab unrest” with “protests in Palestinian communities.”
I insist that you update your article to amend the problematic language and to provide important context that will enable your reader to understand the grievances of Palestinian communities.
I also ask that such contextual concerns be 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] “Use with Care: A Reporter’s Glossary of Loaded Language in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict,” International Press Institute, Oct. 23, 2013, p. 26, https://ipi.media/use-with-care-reporters-glossary-of-loaded-language-in-the-israeli-palestinian-conflict/
[2] Arab and Middle Eastern Journalists Association (AMEJA), “Tips and resources for covering issues related to Israel and Palestine,” May 24, 2021, https://ijnet.org/en/story/tips-and-resources-covering-issues-related-israel-and-palestine
[3] Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, “Key of Terms pertaining to Israel/Palestine,” Accessed April, 3, 2023, https://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cerd/docs/ngos/jointngo3.pdf