"These passages fail to mention Israel's responsibility in Yazan Kafarneh's death, given its blockade of aid and destruction of Gaza's infrastructure. Ms. Cole’s omission downplays the fact that Yazan was a victim of intentional starvation as a weapon of war, a tactic used by Israel’s settler-colonial project built on apartheid and the suffering of Palestinians."
May 30, 2024
To:
Abby Cole, Reporter, CBC News
Nancy Waugh, Managing Editor, CBC News
Brodie Fenlon, News Editor in Chief, CBC News
Dear Ms. Cole, Ms. Waugh, Mr. Moore, and Mr. Fenlon,
I am writing to express my concern regarding your recent article titled “MUN pro-Palestine protesters disappointed after meeting with university president” published by the CBC on May 28, 2024. While I commend Ms. Cole for her on-the-scene reporting of the MUN encampment and for including the perspectives of the pro-Palestinian students—voices often excluded in Canadian media coverage—CJPME believes that certain critical elements of the encampment are not fully contextualized.
The article provides zero context about the ongoing genocide in Gaza, which is a striking omission. Ms. Cole has previously framed Israel’s siege on Gaza as a textbook case of genocide in several articles with the Link Newspaper, making this absence particularly noticeable.
Additionally, CJPME is concerned with Ms. Cole’s coverage of Yazan's Yard at MUN:
“The encampment is located on a quad between the arts and administration building, science building and mathematics building. It's named Yazan's Yard after 10-year-old Yazan Kafarneh, who had cerebral palsy and died of starvation and pneumonia in Rafah in March.”
These passages fail to mention Israel's responsibility in Yazan Kafarneh's death, given its blockade of aid and destruction of Gaza's infrastructure. Ms. Cole’s omission downplays the fact that Yazan was a victim of intentional starvation as a weapon of war, a tactic used by Israel’s settler-colonial project built on apartheid and the suffering of Palestinians. This deliberate act by Israel was highlighted through widely shared images of Yazan, which brought global awareness to the malnutrition crisis in Gaza. The student protesters named the encampment after him to underscore this issue.
CJPME insists that you include this information and state that this is a deliberate political act on the part of Israel’s settler-colonial project built on apartheid and the suffering of Palestinians.
Omitting this context whitewashes and sterilizes the reality of the student encampments, protests, and the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Recontextualizing your article to include this information is essential for providing a comprehensive and accurate portrayal of the situation.
When I was the Coordinating Editor at The Link Newspaper, I edited a few of Ms. Cole’s articles. I respect her work from her time as a staff writer. However, this framing feeds into the justification of the Israeli genocide in Gaza.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. We hope you consider these points and make the necessary revisions to ensure a clear presentation of this important issue.
Sincerely,
Anthony Issa
Media Analyst
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East