"You're not using fair or accurate terms and language to describe the scale and scope of the Palestinian refugee crisis in Rafah, caused by Israel’s genocidal campaign. They are not “hundreds of thousands of people” in Rafah, but 1.5 million Palestinians. This is close to 5 times Rafah’s population before October 7."
March 18, 2024
To:
Dominic Valitis, Senior Broadcast Journalist (London Bureau), CBC News
Jacqueline Hansen, Anchor, CBC News Network Live, CBC News
Dear Dominic Valitis and Jacqueline Hansen,
I am writing to express concern about the News segment: “Netanyahu approves Rafah attack plan as Gaza aid reaches shore,” published on March 17 by CBC News.
First, Valitis says: “Hundreds of thousands of people, as you know, Jacqueline, are sheltering in that city, and there have been, and there are widespread concerns that they could be caught up in the fighting.”
You're not using fair or accurate terms and language to describe the scale and scope of the Palestinian refugee crisis in Rafah, caused by Israel’s genocidal campaign.
They are not “hundreds of thousands of people” in Rafah, but 1.5 million Palestinians. This is close to 5 times Rafah’s population before October 7.
Please make an appropriate clarification that there are over a million Palestinians now in Rafah.
The word “sheltering” makes it seem like they are protecting themselves from a hurricane when Gazans are fleeing genocide or being forcibly displaced by Israel. They are not even “sheltering” when their refuges merely resemble tents made with whatever they can find amidst Israel’s destruction.
The words “caught up in the fighting” undermine that Palestinians are deliberately getting killed by Israel. Saying “caught in the fighting” downplays Israel’s hugely disproportionate 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 make it seem like there are two symmetrical parties, which is not valid given 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.
I, therefore, ask you to use more precise language to describe the situation in Gaza to not absolve Israel of responsibility.
Second, Valitis says:
Now, Jacqueline, the Israelis say that they do have a plan to protect civilians in Rafah. They have said that they will evacuate them from the city to so-called humanitarian islands elsewhere in the Gaza Strip, but that’s something that has been already dismissed by several aid agencies as unworkable even impossible due to the sheer number of people that are now sheltering there.
Valitis should have questioned Israel’s evacuation plan with more skepticism as it is controversial and glosses over the fact that Israel made a lot of claims that they failed to respect since October 7.
Nicola Banks, lead advocacy at Action For Humanity, rightly pointed out Israel’s previous ideas: “humanitarian corridors,” “safe zones,” and “sensitive sites,” before suggesting “humanitarian islands.” Yet, even if areas such as Rafah were designated as “safe,” they still have been targeted and bombarded by Israel. Moreover, these “humanitarian islands” are set to be built in central Gaza. Yet, it is already significantly damaged because of Israel’s airstrikes. It does not have sufficient medical facilities to host Gazans.
I, therefore, ask you to raise skepticism when reporting on Israel’s intentions in Gaza to not conceal Israel’s responsibility.
I hope CBC News will consider my suggestions in the future when reporting on Gaza. The crisis in Gaza is extreme, and CBC reporting should emphasize – not ignore – this reality.
Sincerely,
Fatima Haidar,
Media Analyst, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East