"You lead by citing the intentions of the Israeli military. That they “targeted three senior Islamic Jihad commanders” and that they called their airstrikes “pinpoint.” You made a point of adding an emphatic “but.” After citing official Israeli military sources, you continued, “but at least 10 civilians, including four children were also killed.” It could hardly be graver. Many in the international community are already calling this attack, and others by Israel against Gazans, war crimes."
May 11, 2023
To:
Margaret Evans, Journalist, CBC News
Dear Ms. Evans,
I’m writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME, https://www.cjpme.org) to express disappointment regarding your May 10 segment that aired on CBC News: The National, “10 civilians killed in Gaza as fighting ramps up.”
You lead by citing the intentions of the Israeli military. That they “targeted three senior Islamic Jihad commanders” and that they called their airstrikes “pinpoint.” You made a point of adding an emphatic “but.” After citing official Israeli military sources, you continued, “but at least 10 civilians, including four children were also killed.” It could hardly be graver. Many in the international community are already calling this attack, and others by Israel against Gazans, war crimes.
And yet after this all-important “but,” you continue citing Israel’s military and leave some of it unchallenged. For example, you said that airstrikes “aimed, according to Israeli officials, at weapons bunkers and launchers.” However, there was no conjunction here, despite the reality that Israel was, and continues, attacking residential infrastructure.
I fear that this hesitation — to challenge the narrative of one of the world’s most powerful military’s assault on one of the world’s most vulnerable impoverished communities — constitutes a serious journalistic failure, one repeated all too often.
If you would like to discuss this matter further, please contact me at 438-380-5410.
Sincerely,
Jason Toney
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East
Director of Media Advocacy