"Last Ramadan, on April 4, 2023, Israeli police attacked worshippers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. They brutally beat women, journalists, medics, and people with disabilities with metal chairs, batons, and rifles. Israeli forces attacked the mosque with tear gas, stun grenades, and rubber-coated bullets. In this period alone, they injured at least 153 Palestinians and raided the Al-Aqsa Mosque five times."
March 12, 2024
To:
Margaret Evans, Foreign Correspondent, The National, CBC News
Adrienne Arsenault, Chief Correspondent, The National, CBC News
Ian Hanomansing, Chief Correspondent, The National, CBC News
Perlita Stroh, Producer, The National, CBC News
Chad Paulin, Executive Producer, The National, CBC News
Dear Margaret Evans, Adrienne Arsenault, Ian Hanomansing, Perlita Stroh, and Chad Paulin,
I am writing to express concern for The National news segment: “Ramadan arrives in the middle of Gaza war,” published on March 10 on CBC News.
First, Foreign Correspondent Margaret Evans says: “But with Gazans suffering on top of mind, the mood against Palestinians here is low.” However, Evans provides no background context on Gaza when it would have been necessary to understand more why Ramadan is harder for Palestinians in the West Bank.
Such words also downplay Israel’s responsibility for the situation it has inflicted on Gazans, which has been ruled as a plausible genocide by the International Court of Justice (ICJ). These words obfuscate the scale of Israel’s current military campaign in Gaza. Israel has killed civilians in Gaza with military tactics and equipment besides missiles and bombs. Palestinians in Gaza are being targeted and killed by airstrikes, gunshots, and tanks, as well as fatal conditions that have caused death from lack of medicine, starvation, dehydration, and malnutrition. By using such words, you also absolve completely the reality of Gazans and how it is hard for fasting Palestinians.
You should have provided the number of Palestinians that have been killed since October 7 and mentioned how Israel has been blocking aid from getting into Gaza, although it is its responsibility as an occupying power to let aid in. The UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Michael Fakhri, even said Israel was using food and hunger as a weapon and that Israel is deliberately starving Palestinians.
I, therefore, ask you that in future reporting, you mention background information on the situation in Gaza, specifically Rafah, to not absolve Israel’s responsibility.
Second, Evans says: “The Muslim worshippers seek unimpeded access to Al-Aqsa Mosque […] it is a flashpoint in this age-old conflict, Israeli border police often barring young Palestinian men, citing security concerns.”
Skepticism should have been raised about Israel’s excuse that Israeli police are only barring “young Palestinian men” from accessing Al-Aqsa Mosque because of “security concerns.”
This simplistic description doesn’t raise how prevalent blocking access to Al-Aqsa Mosque is and how “young Palestinian men” are not the only target. It is not unique from this year and follows repeated violent raids on Al-Aqsa in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Ben Gvir and other ministers, who have close ties to the extremist Temple Mount Movement, threatened to make provocative invasions of the Al-Aqsa compound during Passover last year. Last Ramadan, on April 4, 2023, Israeli police attacked worshippers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. They brutally beat women, journalists, medics, and people with disabilities with metal chairs, batons, and rifles. Israeli forces attacked the mosque with tear gas, stun grenades, and rubber-coated bullets. In this period alone, they injured at least 153 Palestinians and raided the Al-Aqsa Mosque five times.
I, therefore, ask you to challenge Israel’s words with skepticism and to mention background information about Israel’s recurring violence at Al-Aqsa Mosque in future reporting about the West Bank.
Third, Evans adds: “Israel insists it won’t restrict entrance further at least for the first week of Ramadan.”
Again, skepticism should have been raised about Israel’s statement, especially considering the history mentioned above.
According to local media, Israeli soldiers set up multiple checkpoints around the Old City in occupied East Jerusalem to hamper Palestinians’ access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Monday, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), Ghassan Elian, also announced that the compound would only be accessible for Friday’s prayers to men over 55, women over 50, and children under 10.
I, therefore, ask you again to challenge Israel’s words with skepticism and to mention background information about Israel’s history of restrictions it has put in place to prevent Palestinians from accessing the Al-Aqsa Mosque in future reporting.
I hope The National will consider my suggestions when reporting on Palestine in the future.
Sincerely,
Fatima Haidar,
Media Analyst, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East