Article fails to include essential context regarding why Palestinian refugees are living in southern Lebanon

"While your coverage is thorough and gives your readers a detailed idea of what is happening with this developing story, there is no context given regarding who these Palestinian refugees are and why they are in a camp in southern Lebanon."


August 3, 2023

To: 

Paul Berton, Editor in Chief, The Hamilton Spectator

Jennifer Moore, Editorial Assistant, The Hamilton Spectator

Abby Sewell, Journalist, The Associated Press

Fadi Tawil, Journalist, The Associated Press

Dear Mr. Berton, Ms. Moore, Ms. Sewell, Mr. Fadi,

I’m writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME, https://www.cjpme.org) with a critique of your article titled “Lebanon warns Palestinian president that troops…” as published in the Hamilton Spectator on August 3, 2023.

While your coverage is thorough and gives your readers a detailed idea of what is happening with this developing story, there is no context given regarding who these Palestinian refugees are and why they are in a camp in southern Lebanon. It should be mentioned that these are Palestinians who were forcibly expelled from their homes by Israel following the Nakba in 1948.

As such, I would suggest that you make the necessary updates to the article to provide your readers with a better understanding of who these refugees are and why they came to be where they are. [i]

Should you wish to discuss this further, please do not hesitate to contact me at 438-3805410.

Sincerely,

Mohamed Khalaf

Director of Strategic Operations, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East

[i] https://www.unrwa.org/where-we-work/lebanon/ein-el-hilweh-camp#:~:text=Ein%20El%20Hilweh%20camp%20is,mostly%20from%20coastal%20Palestinian%20towns.