"The use of the word “seek” obscures the fact that illegal settlements are built on Palestinian land that has been militarily occupied by Israel since 1967."
June 20, 2023
To:
Ilan Ben Zion, Associated Press, Reporter
Sylvia Stead, Public Editor, Globe and Mail
Dear Mr. Zion and Ms. Stead,
I’m writing to you on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME, https://www.cjpme.org) to express concerns regarding your article titled “Israeli government gives settler minister control over West Bank settlement planning” which was published by the Globe and Mail (Associated Press) on June 18, 2023.
In the article, you write:
“The changes make it easier for Israel to expand its settlements on land the Palestinians seek as a heartland of their future state.”
The use of the word “seek” obscures the fact that illegal settlements are built on Palestinian land that has been militarily occupied by Israel since 1967. Rather than Palestinians “seeking” this land, they “claim” it as sovereign territory under UN resolutions and international law, and as supported by the vast majority of the international community.
Your article should be updated to include this important context and the above sentence should be updated to read:
“The changes make it easier for Israel to expand illegal settlements on Palestinian land.”
Additionally, near the end of the article you say, “Israel captured the West Bank in 1967 Mideast war”. The use of the word “capture” could mislead readers into thinking that Israel has a strong claim to these Palestinian territories when, in fact, international law does not allow for the “capture” of territory. To learn more about why referring to the West Bank as “captured” instead of “occupied” is misleading, please read the analysis here.
As such, I also ask that you update the article to read:
“Israel has occupied the West Bank since the 1967 Mideast War.”
Thank you in advance for making these changes. Should you wish, you can contact me at 438-380-5410 for more information.
Sincerely,
Yasmeen Amer
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East