"It is clear that AP used Israel's own words for its headline, which makes this article biased and in violation of journalistic standards. I, therefore, ask you to change your headline and any reference to Sinwar as 'the mastermind of the Oct. 7 attacks' in your article."
August 12, 2024
To:
Bassem Mroue, Journalist, Associated Press
John Daniszewski, Vice President and Editor at Large for Standards, Associated Press
Josef Federman, News Director, Jerusalem, Associated Press
Julie Pace, Executive Editor, Associated Press
Dear Bassem Mroue, John Daniszewski, Josef Federman, and Julie Pace,
I’m writing to you on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME, https://www.cjpme.org) to express our concerns regarding your article: “Hamas names Yahya Sinwar, mastermind of the Oct. 7 attacks, as its new leader in show of defiance” published on August 7, 2024.
I take foremost issue with your headline describing Yahya Sinwar as the mastermind of the Oct. 7 attacks.
First, it is a double standard to describe Sinwar as “the mastermind of the Oct. 7 attacks” when you do not do the same to describe Netanyahu, who is conducting a genocide and has an ICC arrest warrant. It is unimaginable that a headline would say, “Israel elects Netanyahu, mastermind of genocide in Palestine,” or something to that effect. Why is such a headline used for a Palestinian?
Second, designating Sinwar as the “mastermind of the Oct. 7 attacks” stems from Israeli accounts, according to some sources, such as Al Jazeera, CNN, and Forbes. More precisely, according to an October 14 National Post article, this designation seems to come from Israel’s Occupation Forces international spokesperson, Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, who is quoted saying: “Yahya Sinwar is the face of evil. He is the mastermind behind this, like [Osama] bin Laden was. He built his career on murdering Palestinians when he understood they were collaborators. That’s how he became known as the butcher of Khan Younis [in southern Gaza].”
It is clear that AP used Israel's own words for its headline, which makes this article biased and in violation of journalistic standards.
I, therefore, ask you to change your headline and any reference to Sinwar as “the mastermind of the Oct. 7 attacks” in your article.
It is essential for AP to report in an accurate and balanced way as its reporting can significantly shape readers’ perceptions of the story, even if they do not read the entire article.
Thank you for making this change promptly and upholding your journalistic obligations of accuracy and balance.
Sincerely,
Fatima Haidar,
Media Analyst, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East