"Saying that the 'death toll in Gaza has been the subject of significant debate' is disingenuine as it seems to be a talking point relied on by Israel in media outlets, such as a May 12, National Post article: United Nations halves estimate of women and children killed in Gaza, and May 16 Toronto Star article: The death toll in Gaza is enormous. A sudden shift in UN numbers reveals the true count is another source of conflict."
May 24, 2024
To:
Tyler Dawson, Journalist, National Post
Steve Serviss, Editor-in-chief, Kingston Whig Standard
Tim Gordanier, Deputy News Editor, Kingston Whig Standard
Dear Tyler Dawson, Steve Serviss, and Tim Gordanier,
I am writing to express concern about your article: “Israel ceasefire speech at U of Manitoba medical school graduation “disparaged Jews,’ donor says,” published on May 23 in Kingston Whig Standard.
I take foremost issue with your article being one-sided.
First, you only quote Ernest Rady, the son of Maxwell Rady, whom the University of Manitoba’s medical school was named after, and Dr. Peter Nickerson, the dean of the medical school, when you mentioned that some of the class of 106 students applauded Dr. Gem Newman delivering his valedictorian speech. You also only add a tweet by Faisal Kutty without properly introducing it in your article.
I, therefore, ask you to add more voices of people who appreciated his speech, such as students who were at the ceremony, and Palestinians to make your article balanced.
Second, you write:
The death toll in Gaza has been the subject of significant debate. The Gaza health ministry, which is run by the Hamas terror group and which does not distinguish between combatant and civilian deaths, says 35,000 people have been killed since Israel began its bombardment of Gaza in response to the October 7 massacre.
There are two major issues in this paragraph alone. The first issue is that you write that the “death toll in Gaza has been the subject of significant debate” when it’s not entirely true.
WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said during a Geneva press briefing in response to questions about Gaza’s death toll: “Nothing wrong with the data, the overall data (more than 35,000) are still the same.” He also added: “The fact we now have 25,000 identified people is a step forward.”
Furthermore, as of May 24, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) still reports that there are 35,709 Palestinian fatalities, and doesn’t even include those who are reported missing or under the rubble. It also reports that as of April 30, 24, 686 are identified: 10,006 men (40%), 7,797 children (32%), 4,959 women (20%), and 1,924 elderly (8%). The only thing that changed is the method of reporting these numbers, which now include the “identified” fatalities. CBC’s The National provides the same explanation with its segment: How are the dead counted in Gaza? It’s complicated.
Saying that the “death toll in Gaza has been the subject of significant debate” is disingenuine as it seems to be a talking point relied on by Israel in media outlets, such as a May 12, National Post article: United Nations halves estimate of women and children killed in Gaza, and May 16 Toronto Star article: The death toll in Gaza is enormous. A sudden shift in UN numbers reveals the true count is another source of conflict.
Along with the first issue I have pointed out regarding this paragraph, the second issue is that you write: “the Gaza health ministry, which is run by the Hamas terror group.” Not only does it further your point of presenting the death toll as “subject to significant debate,” but you cast a moral judgment on Hamas by describing it as a terror group.
Hamas is an Islamic Palestinian liberation organization that governs certain aspects of the Israeli-occupied Gaza strip, provides social services, runs media outlets, and has a military wing. The United Nations Security Council does not list Hamas as a terrorist organization. Canada, on the other hand, does. If Canada’s attribution is the reason you’ve made a broad-brush generalization of Hamas as a terrorist entity, then that needs to be made clear in your article. Otherwise, your vocabulary insinuates a moral judgment, which is inappropriate in an article labeled “news.”
I, therefore, ask you to make clear that the death toll in Gaza has been the subject of significant debate by Israel and that Hamas is listed as a terrorist entity under Canada’s terrorist entities list.
Third, you write: “Israel has targeted both hospitals and civilian infrastructures in its attempt to destroy Hamas, which often hides its fighters in civilian facilities.”
There is no evidence that Hamas “hides its fighters in civilian facilities.” Again, this is a talking point by Israel to justify targeting civilian infrastructures and civilians. Either provide evidence that Hamas does this or specify that it’s an Israeli claim. Otherwise, you are in a way justifying Israel’s disproportionate and discriminatory attacks against civilians and infrastructures.
I, therefore, ask you to make clear that Israel claims that Hamas “hides its fighters in civilian facilities” or provide evidence to back this information.
Fourth, you write:
Newman’s speech […] also referred to the was as “genocidal,” which is currently under adjudication by the International Court of Justice. U.S. President Joe Biden said the United States rejects the accusation that Israel’s war against Hamas is genocidal. Canada has also rejected the claim that Israel is committing genocide, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said Israel has the right to self-defence. Hamas has openly declared its intent to destroy the Jewish state.
Again, this paragraph is unbalanced. You chose which information to select to make it seem like the ICJ’s case has no basis when it has indeed concluded that there is a plausible genocide. You make it all about what Israel and its allies (the U.S. and Canada) think of it. You add that “Hamas has openly declared its intent to destroy the Jewish State” in a way to justify using the “self-defence” excuse when Israel does not actually have that right under international law as it is an occupying power.
I, therefore, ask you to make clear that the ICJ has ruled that there is a plausible genocide in Gaza.
Along with this fourth point, it was disappointing to see that Israel’s claims were systematically included throughout your article to dismiss legitimate points or sources (e.g. the death toll, the famine, and the ICJ case). I hope that you will keep this in mind when reporting and covering issues related to Palestine.
Thank you for making these requested edits promptly.
Sincerely,
Fatima Haidar,
Media Analyst, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East