"Israel ordered over a million people in Gaza to relocate southward, compelling them to leave their homes. Therefore, their displacement was not a voluntary decision."
April 30,2024
To:
Josef Federman, Journalist, Associated Press
Samy Magdy, Journalist, Associated Press
Dear Josef Federman and Samy Magdy,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) to express concern regarding some of the language used in a recent article titled, “Ahead of visit to Israel, U.S.'s Blinken presses Hamas to accept new proposal for Gaza ceasefire,” published on April 29 by the Associated Press.
Phrases like "More than one million Palestinians have sought shelter in Rafah after fleeing fighting elsewhere" and "Israeli strikes flattened at least three homes where extended families of Palestinians were gathered" suggest that Palestinians voluntarily sought refuge or were merely gathered in Rafah. However, the reality is that these Palestinians were systematically targeted and forcibly displaced. Israel ordered over a million people in Gaza to relocate southward, compelling them to leave their homes. Therefore, their displacement was not a voluntary decision.
I insist that more concise language be used to accurately describe the nature of Israel’s attacks on Gaza and the forced displacement of Palestinians from their homes.
Additionally, the phrase "The probe is also looking at Israel's construction of settlements in occupied territory the Palestinians want for a future state" should be edited to "occupied Palestinian territory." This clarifies that the territory in question already belongs to Palestinians and highlights Israel's occupation and illegal settlement construction. The current language makes it sound as if Palestinians do not have a claim to the land.
Please change “occupied territory the Palestinians want for a future state” to the more appropriate “occupied Palestinian territories.”
Sincerely,
Mary Ann Matta,
Media Analyst, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East