"Given the accusations of genocide that Israel is facing, it is unfair to report that merely Israel’s actions are part of an effort to “defeat Hamas.” Israeli ministers and military leaders have made genocidal claims and called for the annexation and/or permanent occupation of parts of Gaza."
May 31, 2024
To:
Dylan Robertson, Journalist, Canadian Press
Andrea Baillie, Editor-in-Chief, Canadian Press
Tim Cook, Assistant Managing Editor, Canadian Press
Dear Dylan Robertson, Andrea Baillie, and Tim Cook,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East to express concern regarding your article: “Trudeau must more publicly support ICC decisions amid Israel-Hamas war: ex-ministers,” published on May 29.
You write:
The charges stem from the Israel-Hamas War, which started when the militant group killed 1,200 people in Israel last October, which the ICC prosecutor says included rape, torture, and murder that mounts to crimes against all of humanity. In response to the Hamas attack, Israel has bombarded the Gaza Strip, saying it is trying to defeat Hamas. The group, which Canada deems a terrorist organization, runs the territory’s health ministry, which says 36,000 people have been killed, including combatants. The ICC prosecutor says Israel has been starving civilians as a method of warfare and intentionally directing attacks against civilians, which are war crimes.”
Given the accusations of genocide that Israel is facing, it is unfair to report that merely Israel’s actions are part of an effort to “defeat Hamas.” Israeli ministers and military leaders have made genocidal claims and called for the annexation and/or permanent occupation of parts of Gaza. After citing the Palestinian death toll, you add that Hamas is “deemed a terrorist organization” by Canada and that it runs Gaza’s health ministry. Such comments tied to the death toll unnecessarily introduce doubt into readers' minds where it does not belong. These numbers are widely believed and promoted by the United Nations.
Also, while you mention that the number of Palestinian casualties includes combatants, you do not do the same for the Israeli side.
According to social security data, on October 7, 695 Israeli civilians were killed, as well as 373 security forces and 71 foreigners, and not all the Israeli victims on October 7 were killed by Hamas. Israel killed its own civilians in friendly fire that day, including 12 civilians in a home in Kibbutz Be'eri.
This issue represents a double standard.
Please change the following sentence as it is inaccurate: The charges stem from the Israel-Hamas War, which started when the militant group killed 1,200 people in Israel last October. To be more accurate and balanced, I suggest the following sentence: The charges stem from the October 7 events where 1,200 people in Israel were killed, including Israeli soldiers.
Second, you write that the ICC charges laid against Hamas included rape, torture, and murder and that they amount to crimes against all of humanity, but only write that the ICC prosecutor says Israel has been starving civilians as a method of warfare and intentionally directing attacks against civilians, which are war crimes.
If one looks at the ICC Prosecutor's statement for arrest warrants, one will find that he also writes that he has reasonable grounds to believe that Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, and Yoav Gallant, the Minister of Defence of Israel, bear responsibility for the following war crimes and crimes against humanity. He goes on to develop the war crimes and crimes against humanity, which are:
- Starvation of civilians
- Wilfully causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or health or cruel treatment
- Wilful killing or Murder
- Intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population
- Extermination and/or murder contrary, including in the context of deaths caused by starvation
- Persecution
- Other inhumane acts as crimes against humanity
To be more accurate and balanced, I ask that you mention that Israel is also accused of crimes against humanity and provide examples: extermination and/or murder, including in the context of deaths caused by starvation, persecution, and other inhumane acts. Otherwise, it just furthers your one-sidedness of painting the Palestinian side more negatively than Israel’s, which absolves Israel’s crimes.
I hope Canadian Press will make these changes and be more balanced and accurate in future reporting on Gaza and Palestine.
Sincerely,
Fatima Haidar
Media Analyst, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East