"Conflating these slogans as antisemitic, we believe, meets the legal definition of anti-Palestinian racism as defined by the Arab Canadians Lawyer Association. Anti-Palestinian racism dehumanizes Palestinians and their allies, slandering them as inherently antisemitic for criticizing Israel or opposing the state’s political actions such as committing a genocide in Gaza."
June 7, 2024
To:
Bryan Passifiume, Parliament Bureau Reporter, National Post
Rob Roberts, Editor-in-Chief, National Post
Dear Mr. Passifiume and Mr. Roberts,
I am writing to express my concern regarding the article titled "MP who tabled antisemitism petition reports harassment as anti-Israel intimidation grows," published by the National Post on June 6, 2024.
The article presents itself as a news piece but rehashes a vague petition and the opinions of those who created it. Moreover, your article fails to provide a fair or balanced perspective by excluding pro-Palestinian narratives and is riddled with anti-Palestinian racism. The exclusion and conflation of pro-Palestinian slogans with antisemitism reflects a clear pro-Israel bias.
To begin, an MP tabling an old petition from April at Parliament isn’t news. On top of that. Mr. Passifiume has essentially recycled an old article about the same petition from May 20, 2024, with almost identical structure and voices. You’re merely rehashing the same pro-Israel opinions from different sources.
CJPME believes this article should be classified as an opinion piece.
Additionally, the subheading "Petition targets common anti-Israel slogans, including 'from the river to the sea,' and 'long live Oct. 7'" is a clear case of anti-Palestinian racism.
To Palestinians, the slogan “From the river to the sea” expresses a desire for freedom from oppression across historic Palestine. However, Pro-Israel groups label this chant as antisemitic to exclude Palestinian perspectives and their allies from public protests.
Conflating these slogans as antisemitic, we believe, meets the legal definition of anti-Palestinian racism as defined by the Arab Canadians Lawyer Association. Anti-Palestinian racism dehumanizes Palestinians and their allies, slandering them as inherently antisemitic for criticizing Israel or opposing the state’s political actions such as committing a genocide in Gaza.
CJPME demands that the National Post stop enabling the dehumanization and slander of pro-Palestinian advocates.
Furthermore, Mr. Passifiume’s reporting shields the organizers of this petition. The article vaguely mentions "a Jewish group and an independent MP" pushing for these chants to qualify as hate speech without specifying the group. Mr. Passifiume buried the subject of the story until the seventh paragraph.
The petition comes from Canadian Women Against Antisemitism, a pro-Israel group co-founded by Olga Lefel Goldberg, current President Esther Mordechai, and current Vice President Revi Mula. This organization is not merely a Jewish rights group but a pro-Israel advocacy group that seeks to promote Zionism as an indigenous aspect of Jewish identity. Canadian Women Against Antisemitism is a pro-Israel organization and should not be conflated as a monolithic institution that represents all Jewish voices or perspectives in Canada.
I demand that Mr. Passafiume clarify that Canadian Women Against Antisemitism is not just a Jewish organization but also a pro-Israel organization in his article.
Mr. Passifiume’s coverage predominantly includes statements from Vuong and other pro-Israel voices, failing to interview anyone reflecting a pro-Palestinian perspective or a third-party observer. A balanced article should include perspectives from all sides, especially those directly affected by the petition.
As it stands, Mr. Passifiume’s article goes against the journalistic ethics expected of the National Post. I remind you, once again, that the National Post is a member of Canada’s National NewsMedia Council and is expected to provide balanced and comprehensive coverage of discourse in Canadian civil society. This includes voices that oppose pro-Israel claims of antisemitism when they exercise their right to oppose the ongoing genocide in Gaza by the state of Israel.
Please pay serious attention to this matter. I cannot stress enough that you consider these points and that Mr. Passifiume makes the necessary revisions to ensure a fair and balanced representation of this important issue. At the very least, CJPME believes this piece should be presented as an opinion article given its lack of impartiality.
Sincerely,
Anthony Issa
Media Analyst
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East