"Corroborative statements from multiple reputed international bodies also lend legitimacy to the narrative that Palestinians living in the West Bank are victims of a brutal, decades-long military occupation. For this reason, it was inappropriate to include the claim that “Israel ensures that humanitarian assistance is provided and does not apply any limitation on access for medical staff” in your article, when it has been shown that not only is the Israeli military failing to ensure the provision of such assistance, but is instead actively hampering its delivery."
July 4, 2023
To:
Emma Farge, Senior Correspondent, Reuters
Brian Moss, Ethics & Standards Editor, Reuters
Steve Bartlett, Senior Managing Editor, Saltwire
Dear Ms. Farge, Mr. Moss and Mr. Bartlett,
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 appreciation for your recent article written by Emma Farge of Reuters and published on the Saltwire website entitled “UN agencies 'alarmed' at scale of Jenin raid, concerned about access.”
Offering the combined perspectives of the United Nations, the Red Cross, the World Health Organization, and MSF instills in readers an accurate sense of the enormity of Israel’s occupation and the resulting humanitarian crisis.
Corroborative statements from multiple reputed international bodies also lend legitimacy to the narrative that Palestinians living in the West Bank are victims of a brutal, decades-long military occupation. For this reason, it was inappropriate to include the claim that “Israel ensures that humanitarian assistance is provided and does not apply any limitation on access for medical staff” in your article, when it has been shown that not only is the Israeli military failing to ensure the provision of such assistance, but is instead actively hampering its delivery.
Finally, to frame Israel’s ongoing attacks on Jenin as a “military operation” from the article’s outset is to ignore the crucial context, once again, that the Israeli military is an illegally occupying force and that Palestinians are victims of a disproportionately powerful aggressor. Further stating that “Israel says the objective of its operation is to uproot Iranian-backed Palestinian factions behind a surge in gun and bomb attacks, as well as preliminary efforts to make rockets” grossly distorts the reality of the occupation and misassigns allowances and blame.
I would insist that the proper context be given more weight in future stories related to this issue. Should you wish, you can contact me at 438-380-5410 for more information.
Sincerely,
Bassel Abdel-Qader
Media Analyst, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East