Radio news segment decontextualizes the Palestinian struggle against apartheid

"However, in spite of Mr Pinkas'  referring to  Palestinian issues four times, and stressing they may even affect the US-Israel relationship "as allies", Ms Hill does not ask for a clarification for listeners of what 'the Palestinian issue' might be. Is this not equally important for your listeners to know as it is for them to understand the reason for the Israeli protests?"


September 21, 2023

To: 

Chris Harland-Dunaway, Senior Producer, The World

Tinku Ray, Managing Editor, The World

Jack Nagler, Ombudsman, CBC

Dear Mr. Harland-Dunaway, Ms. Ray and Mr. Nagler,

I am writing on behalf of the Saskatoon Chapter of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East, (CJPME, https://www.cjpme.org) regarding a radio segment titled "Israeli Prime MInister Netanyahu meets President Biden UNGA " which was produced by The World and aired by CBC Radio One CBY on Sept 21, 2023.

In an interview with The World's Carol Hills, Mr. Alon Pinkas explains why Israelis have been protesting, commenting  that "any constitutional reforms [1] need to be done by consent with broad agreement on all sides in Israel." 

Palestinians make up 20% of Israel's population but it is not clear if Mr Pinkas is including them in "all sides."

Mr. Pinkas then reports that President Biden is requesting from Prime Minister Netanyahu "concrete and clear answers on the Palestinian issue" as a prerequisite to "the US-Saudi Arabia -Israel deal." These answers have not been forthcoming, which Mr Pinkas thinks is  "impacting the (US-Israel) relationship even as allies."

When asked about how Mr. Biden might specifically address normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia with Mr. Netanyahu, Mr. Pinkas replies:" He's going to demand those answers on the Palestinians as a prerequisite  for any advance on the Saudi thing."

Mr Pinkas follows with "Even Saudis are demanding Israel make some concrete moves on the Palestinian  issue..." and "While the Saudis may not care that much about Palestinians..."

Ms. Hills carefully asks Mr Pinkas to explain, for the benefit of listeners who "aren't keeping super close tabs on Israeli politics", why Israelis have been protesting. However, in spite of Mr Pinkas'  referring to  Palestinian issues four times, and stressing they may even affect the US-Israel relationship "as allies", Ms Hill does not ask for a clarification for listeners of what 'the Palestinian issue' might be. Is this not equally important for your listeners to know as it is for them to understand the reason for the Israeli protests?

Ms Hills is allowing Palestinians to be dehumanized as 'an issue' and completely ignoring her journalistic responsibility to provide relevant background information. 

A reference to the military occupation of Palestine, now in its 56th year and deemed illegal by the UN and the presence of  700,000  illegal Jewish settlers on land stolen from Palestinians in East Jerusalem and the West Bank in contravention of international law and resulting in state-sponsored settler violence, would have been appropriate in the interest of fair reporting.

I request that future reporting include all necessary context for Canadian audiences.

Sincerely. 

Renée Nunan-Rappard

Lanigan, SK

S0K 2M0

[1] Israel has no constitution, but, as Mr Pinkas states, has "basic laws which form a framework for a constitution."

If you are neutral in situations of injustice you have chosen the side of the oppressor. Desmond Tutu

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