"The map used by CBC shows Jerusalem as entirely outside of the occupied West Bank. Both Israel and the Palestinians claim Jerusalem as their capital city, and East Jerusalem (which includes the Old City) is considered occupied Palestinian territory under international law."
October 16, 2023
To:
Chris Brown, Journalist, CBC
Nancy Waugh, Sr. Manager, CBC
Brodie Fenlon, News Editor-in-Chief, CBC News
George Achi, Director of Journalistic Standards and Public Trust, CBC News
Jack Nagler, Ombudsman, CBC News
Dear Chris Brown, Nancy Waugh, Brodie Fenlon, George Achi, and Jack Nagler,
I’m writing to alert you to an inaccurate map in your recent article, “Palestinian workers stranded in West Bank fear for families in Gaza — but refuse to condemn Hamas,” published by CBC News on October 15.
The map used by CBC shows Jerusalem as entirely outside of the occupied West Bank. Both Israel and the Palestinians claim Jerusalem as their capital city, and East Jerusalem (which includes the Old City) is considered occupied Palestinian territory under international law. This is not an opinion but a matter of a settled consensus at the international level, as confirmed by the United Nations Security Council, the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice, and the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention.
Similarly, the Canadian government does not recognize Israel's unilateral annexation of East Jerusalem but considers the territory to be occupied. At the very least, CBC’s map should reflect the views of Canada.
A screenshot is included here:
Please let me know if you will publish an updated map along with an editor’s note to clarify the change.
Sincerely,
Jason Toney
Director of Media Advocacy, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East