Immediate correction needed: The West Bank is occupied, not "disputed"

"It’s clear that you are referring to Elizabeth May’s trip to the occupied West Bank in 2018. Referring to parts of occupied Palestine as “disputed territories,” is factually incorrect, legally unfounded, and undermines Palestinians’ legitimate indigenous claim to Palestine."


June 12, 2024

To:

Catherine Lévesque, Journalist, National Post

Rob Roberts, Editor-in-Chief, National Post

Dear Catherine Lévesque,

I’d like to express minor concern regarding your most recent news article titled “Elizabeth May says there is ‘no list’ of treacherous MPs in foreign interference report,” published on June 11.

Near the middle of the article, you write the following:

May said she reimbursed the costs of a trip she took in 2018 that was sponsored by the Palestinian Authority to visit disputed territories, and that others did the same.

It’s clear that you are referring to Elizabeth May’s trip to the occupied West Bank in 2018. Referring to parts of occupied Palestine as “disputed territories,” is factually incorrect, legally unfounded, and undermines Palestinians’ legitimate indigenous claim to Palestine.

Here is a list of the reasons why the West Bank should not be labeled as “disputed” in any article that is considered news:

  1. No Legal Basis: "Disputed" has no legal standing in international law. Since 1967, the West Bank has been under Israeli military occupation, governed by the Fourth Geneva Convention.
  2. Overwhelming Consensus: There is near-unanimous agreement among legal experts, UN resolutions, the ICJ, and diplomatic bodies that the West Bank is occupied Palestinian territory. Calling it “disputed” undermines this legal and diplomatic consensus.
  3. Unequal Claims: Describing it as "disputed" implies equal claims by Israel and Palestinians, which contradicts historical agreements designating the territory for a future Palestinian state.
  4. Undermines Palestinian Indigenous Claim: The term undermines Palestinians' legitimate indigenous claim to the territory, recognized by historical presence and international aims for Palestinian sovereignty.
  5. Legitimizes ‘Might Makes Right’: Labeling it as "disputed" legitimizes Israel's military occupation, normalizing its control despite overwhelming consensus against it.
  6. To adhere to basic journalistic standards of accuracy, please change “disputed” to “occupied.” I’d also like to encourage you to use the words Palestine or Palestinian to describe the territory to which you’re referring.

Sincerely,

 

Rose Mardikian,

Media Analyst, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East