"Your use of the terms “Arab” and “Arab-Israeli,” instead of “Palestinian citizens of Israel” is puzzling. You mention throughout your reporting that these “Arabs” are descendants of Palestinians and self-identify as Palestinian citizens of Israel. Why then do you choose to dilute their identity by constantly referring to them as Arabs?"
July 28, 2023
To:
Mr. Farah Syed, Managing Editor, Yahoo news Canada
Howard Goller, News Desk Editor, Reuters
Dear Ms. Syed, Mr. Goller,
I’m writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME, https://www.cjpme.org) to express both appreciation and concern regarding your news segment titled “Israel’s Arabs watch democracy battle from sidelines” published on July 27, 2023.
First, I want to thank you for prominently featuring Palestinian perspectives and opinions throughout the interviews. It is essential to include these voices since Palestinians are often excluded from coverage about judicial reforms in Israel.
Your use of the terms “Arab” and “Arab-Israeli,” instead of “Palestinian citizens of Israel” is puzzling. You mention throughout your reporting that these “Arabs” are descendants of Palestinians and self-identify as Palestinian citizens of Israel. Why then do you choose to dilute their identity by constantly referring to them as Arabs?
The International Press Institute (IPI) issued a document entitled “Use with Care: A Reporter’s Glossary of Loaded Language in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict” [1] which highlights terms that may be offensive either to Israelis or Palestinians. Concerning the term Israeli Arab, the IPI notes that, “There are Palestinians who prefer ‘Palestinian citizens of Israel’ because a sense of Palestinian identity is dominant among Arabs in Israel, and this term reflects their civil and national identity.”
The Arab and Middle Eastern Journalists Association (AMEJA)[2] also makes the same recommendation.
Israel’s preferred use of the politicized term “Arab” (or “Israeli Arab”) – which your segment parrots – is intended to downplay the “Palestinian” identity of the vast majority of the members of this group. It also intentionally downplays the Palestinians’ connection with their land, suggesting that they are indistinguishable from Arabs elsewhere in the Middle East and North Africa.
“Palestinians” include citizens of Israel, the Occupied Palestinian territories, and those in exile who are indigenous to Palestine.[3]
As such, I would ask that all future reporting refers to this group of people as “Palestinian citizens of Israel,” or “Israel’s Palestinians.”
Should you wish to discuss this further, please do not hesitate to contact me at 438-380-5410.
Sincerely,
Mohamed Khalaf
Director of Strategic Operations, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East