"According to Middle East Monitor, Naji Tamimi, the head of the Nabi Saleh Village Council, said that Israeli forces “locked the iron gate at the village entrance and proceeded to invade several neighbourhoods and fire live rounds at protesters.” In fact, in 2023, the occupied West Bank has become a target for the Israeli military, who have repeatedly conducted military raids into various neighbourhoods and towns. These operations often wound or kill civilians, including Palestinian children and the elderly and result in the destruction of homes."
June 5, 2023
To:
Josef Federman, News Director, Associated Press
Angus Scott, Editor-in-Chief, Niagara Falls Review
Dear Mr. Federman, and Mr. Scott,
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 concerns regarding the article “Palestinian toddler shot by Israeli troops in West Bank dies of wounds,” by the Associated Press (AP) and published by the Niagara Falls Review on June 5, 2023.
I appreciate that you point to human rights organizations and the failure for Israeli military investigations to prosecute crimes committed against innocent Palestinian civilians. I also appreciate that you include a quote from Mohammed al-Tamimi’s father, Haitham. It is important to include Palestinian sources, especially when official Israeli military narratives have, on occasion, been proven to be highly unreliable and misleading.
However, the article would benefit from providing additional context about how the Israeli military was conducting a raid in Nabi Saleh when Mohammed and Haitham al-Tamimi were shot.
According to Middle East Monitor, Naji Tamimi, the head of the Nabi Saleh Village Council, said that Israeli forces “locked the iron gate at the village entrance and proceeded to invade several neighbourhoods and fire live rounds at protesters.” In fact, in 2023, the occupied West Bank has become a target for the Israeli military, who have repeatedly conducted military raids into various neighbourhoods and towns. These operations often wound or kill civilians, including Palestinian children and the elderly and result in the destruction of homes.
This period has been the deadliest for Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank in recent years. Since the start of 2023, more than 115 Palestinians, including 20 children have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
I insist that AP update their article to include this important context about the escalation of Israeli violence in the occupied West Bank.
On another note, you state that “Israel captured the West Bank and east Jerusalem, along with the Gaza Strip, in the 1967 Mideast war.” International law does not recognize the “capture” of territory by armed force, as confirmed by Article 2, Section 4 of the UN Charter which provides no avenue for a country to violate or infringe on the territorial integrity of another country. This is confirmed by international bodies including the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention
As such, I ask that you update your sentence to read:
“Israel occupied the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip in the 1967 Mideast war.”
Thank you for making these changes. Should you wish to discuss this matter further, you can contact me at 438-380-5410.
Sincerely,
Tayla Shair
Media Analyst, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East