"While I am not here to argue how Housefather must have felt seeing this poster, it is inaccurate and unfair to report it as an antisemitic incident. To further your framing of this incident as antisemitic, you fail to fully quote his response to the poster and exclude the part where Housefather explicitly writes on social media that he “will keep being a proud Jew and a Zionist.” While the poster clearly condemned Housefather for his Zionist (not Jewish) ideology, Housefather’s response on social media demonstrates his tendency to deflect any legitimate criticism by deeming it as antisemitic."
June 5, 2024
To:
Jesse Feith, General Assignment Reporter, Montreal Gazette
Marilena Lucci, Editor-in-Chief, The Montreal Gazette
Dear Mr. Feith and Ms. Lucci,
I am writing to express my concern about the article: “Montreal police looking into posters targeting MP Anthony Housefather” published on July 4 by the Montreal Gazette. Though this article is flawed in many ways, including the failure to mention the rise of Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism, there are few issues I’d like to point out.
First, you are unskeptical towards Housefather’s assertion that the attacks on him are antisemitic. Your subhead reads: “Housefather has denounced the posters as ‘plain antisemitism’ and says he is saddened to see them in his own city.” Your sixth paragraph states “Housefather, who represents the federal riding of Mount Royal, denounced the posters as “plain antisemitism” this week and said he was saddened to see them plastered in his own city.”
While I am not here to argue how Housefather must have felt seeing this poster, it is inaccurate and unfair to report it as an antisemitic incident. To further your framing of this incident as antisemitic, you fail to fully quote his response to the poster and exclude the part where Housefather explicitly writes on social media that he “will keep being a proud Jew and a Zionist.” While the poster clearly condemned Housefather for his Zionist (not Jewish) ideology, Housefather’s response on social media demonstrates his tendency to deflect any legitimate criticism by deeming it as antisemitic.
I, therefore, ask you to remove the words “antisemitic” in your subhead and in your body of text as it is inaccurate to describe the incident as such.
Please pay serious attention to this matter. I strongly urge the Montreal Gazette to consider these points and make the necessary revisions to ensure a fair and balanced representation of this critical issue.
I await your response,
Anthony Issa
Media Analyst
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East