"To define Hamas as “Islamist rulers” misrepresents their aims and dedication in liberating Palestine and resisting Israel’s military occupation. More importantly, defining Hamas as “rulers” obscures the reality that the Gaza Strip is “occupied” and remains under Israeli “effective control” through a land, sea, and air blockade since June 2007."
July 6, 2023
To:
Phil Chetwynd, Global News Director, AFP
Benjamin Simon, AFP, Deputy Bureau Chief
Markos Papadatos, Editor-at-Large, Digital Journal
CC: Acil Tabbara, Lebanon and Syria, Bureau Chief, AFP
Dear Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Simon, and Mr. Papadatos
I’m writing to you on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME, https://www.cjpme.org) to request immediate corrections to the article titled “Gaza rulers Hamas display weapons for first time,” written by Agence France Press (AFP) and published by Digital Journal on July 1, 2023.
First, I take issue with the misleading language used to define the paramilitary group Hamas. In the article you write:
“The armed wing of Gaza’s Islamist rulers Hamas.”
Hamas is an Islamic, Palestinian Liberation Organization that was founded in 1987. In 2006, Hamas was popularly elected and voted into power by Palestinian citizens who, among various reasons, support its resistance towards Israel’s military occupation and appropriation of land. To define Hamas as “Islamist rulers” misrepresents their aims and dedication in liberating Palestine and resisting Israel’s military occupation. More importantly, defining Hamas as “rulers” obscures the reality that the Gaza Strip is “occupied” and remains under Israeli “effective control” through a land, sea, and air blockade since June 2007.
As such, I insist that you update both your headline to remove the word “rulers,” and update your sentence to read:
“The paramilitary and liberation organization Hamas, has put its weapons…”
Second, in your article you write:
“In May, militant groups in Gaza and Israel traded cross-border fire for five days.”
To claim that Gaza and Israel “traded cross border fire” is inaccurate. Palestinian groups in Gaza launched rockets after Israel launched airstrikes that targeted three commanders of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, killing at least 26 Palestinian civilians, including six children and five women. Over 80 Palestinians were also wounded as Israel hit residential buildings in several areas across Gaza including Rafah, Khan Younis, Beit Lahia, and other districts. To claim that fire was “traded” downplays Israel’s initial provocation and aggression, which had prompted the firing of rockets from Gaza as a direct response to Israel’s airstrikes and military incursion.
As such, I insist that you update your sentence to read:
“In May, Palestinian armed resistance groups in Gaza launched rockets in response to Israel’s airstrikes and siege of the Gaza Strip, which killed at least 26 Palestinian civilians.”
I hope to see these changes promptly made and that such problematic language is not used in future articles on Hamas or Palestinian resistance groups.
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