"It’s impossible to comprehend what’s happening in Palestine/Israel without understanding that Palestinians in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza live under a more than 54-year-old Israeli military occupation, Palestinians in Gaza live under a nearly 15-year long siege, and that all Palestinians in Israel and the occupied territories live under an apartheid system that is designed to subjugate and dispossess them. This critical context should be included in all coverage."
May 6, 2024
To:
Jason Magder, Journalist, Montreal Gazette
Marilena Lucci, Editor-in-Chief, Montreal Gazette
Dear Jason Magder,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) to express a concernabout the article “Events at pro-Palestinian encampment at McGill focus on learning, knowledge sharing,”published on May 6 in Montreal Gazette.
While your article did give voice to the protestors by citing their statements, it's a bit disappointing to see how it failed to offer any context regarding the motives behind the protests and encampment, including the ongoing crisis and the plausible genocide in Gaza for over six months. To grasp the importance of the protestors' demands and the reasons for their actions, this piece lacks essential background information for its readers. For readers to understand the context surrounding these protests, it is essential to mention Israel’s longstanding occupation of Palestinian land. The Institute for Middle East Understanding recommends the following:
Always include the context of Israeli military occupation and apartheid, and when covering Gaza, the siege and blockade.
It’s impossible to comprehend what’s happening in Palestine/Israel without understanding that Palestinians in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza live under a more than 54-year-old Israeli military occupation, Palestinians in Gaza live under a nearly 15-year long siege, and that all Palestinians in Israel and the occupied territories live under an apartheid system that is designed to subjugate and dispossess them. This critical context should be included in all coverage.
An article about protestors condemning the genocide in Gaza should at least also include some relevant information about the current situation, including any of the below:
- The recent discovery of 400 bodies– some of which were tortured, buried alive, executed point blank, etc.– in mass graves outside of two medical facilities in Gaza.
- Israel’s killing of almost 35,000 Palestinians, 14,500 of whom were children, since Oct. 7.
- The deliberate destruction of Gaza’s healthcare system, as all hospitals in the Gaza Strip have been targeted and damaged by Israel’s strikes and bombs.
- On January 26, the International Court of Justice ordered provisional measures in South Africa’s case against Israel regarding allegations of genocide in Gaza.
- Israelis have asked Palestinians to evacuate Rafah, prompting thousands to begin fleeing. Despite pleas from Western nations, neighboring countries, and humanitarian aid organizations for Israel to avoid invading the southern Gaza Strip city, Israel has indicated that such a move is imminent.
It is crucial that your article be revised to accurately portray the motivations of the protesters and to include the terrible circumstances of Palestinians in Gaza who are being targeted and killed. This kind of information is essential to have fair coverage of the pro-Palestinian encampments, and I trust you will consider them for future reporting.
Sincerely,
Mary Ann Matta,
Media Analyst, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East