"When you refer to Israeli hostages, prisoners, and deaths, you clearly identify the perpetrators as Hamas. Yet, you fail to identify Israel as the perpetrator when you report that ‘33,000 Palestinians have been killed in retaliatory attacks’. I would ask that you consider adding “by Israel” to the end of that sentence."
April 17, 2024
Dear Mr. Chaarani and Ms. Waugh,
I am writing on behalf of CJPME (www.cjpme.org) to request a minor correction in your article Cambridge, Ont. man expresses relief and frustration as family expected to arrive from Gaza that was published online on CBC News on April 17.
First of all, thank you for illustrating so clearly and personally the lengthy, time-consuming, and costly experience of the Aljadba family in navigating the government’s visa program. Their experience illustrates the sad but truthful reality of Immigration Minister Miller’s reference to the situation in Gaza as “‘probably the largest hostage-taking, right now in the world.”’ The fact that Ben Gurion airport in Israel is only 67 kilometers from the Gaza border and that it has direct flights to Canada reinforces that Gazans are indeed hostages in their own territory.
Many Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territories (Gaza, East Jerusalem, and the West Bank) know all too well what it means to be held hostage. As of April 16, 2024, there are currently 3.660 prisoners in Israeli prisons and detention centres who are administration detainees. Many of them are children and women. Administrative detention means that Israel has detained a person without charge or trial. It is one of the reasons that Israel had so many prisoners that they could easily swap for Israeli hostages in November 2023. This information is rarely shared in media articles reporting on Palestinian prisoners. Considering this article was published on April 17, Palestinian Prisoner’s Day, perhaps providing some of this context would be appropriate.
The minor correction I request is the following: When you refer to Israeli hostages, prisoners, and deaths, you clearly identify the perpetrators as Hamas. Yet, you fail to identify Israel as the perpetrator when you report that ‘33,000 Palestinians have been killed in retaliatory attacks’. I would ask that you consider adding “by Israel” to the end of that sentence.
I hope CBC News will make this minor change as it would reflect the principles identified in CBC’s Journalistic Standards, fairness and impartiality.
Sincerely,
Debbie Hubbard