"The UN Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner has accused Israel of war crimes, including “starvation as a method of warfare, murder or willful killing, intentionally directing attacks against civilians and civilian objects, forcible transfer, sexual violence, torture and inhuman or cruel treatment, arbitrary detention, and outrages upon personal dignity.” Referring to these massacres and military invasions as “incursions” is a dangerous distortion that trivializes the gravity Israel’s war crimes and undermines the suffering of Palestinians."
September 20, 2024
To:
Sara Jabakhanji, Senior Writer, CBC News
Nancy Waugh, Managing Editor, CBC News
Dear Ms. Jabakhanji and Ms. Waugh,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East to express serious concerns about your recent article titled: “This 11-year-old does gymnastics atop the rubble of Gaza as the war rages on” published on September 19, 2024 by the CBC.
While I thank you for highlighting the lost hopes of children in Gaza, particularly the shattered dreams of Wassim Naqqar's son of competing in gymnastics due to Israel’s war in Gaza, I believe there are some issues that need to be addressed regarding the headline and misleading language used throughout the article.
First, by stating “as the war rages on” without attributing responsibility, the headline effectively obscures Israel’s role as the aggressor. This is not an anonymous war but the result of Israel’s deliberate war crimes in Gaza. Omitting Israel’s culpability misleads readers into thinking this war is occurring in a vacuum. I urge you to amend the headline to: “This 11-year-old does gymnastics atop the rubble of Gaza as Israel’s war rages on.”
Second, the passive voice and obfuscating language is used in several places in the article:
- “But for Wassim Naqqar, the war in Gaza has forced him to practise in unusual places…”
- “The 11-year-old snagged first place in gymnastics in the Palestinian territories before the war began.”
- “Naqqar's brother, sister, uncle, and cousin were all killed in the war.”
Your use of this kind of language fails to directly acknowledge that it is Israel’s siege and war on Gaza that has devastated the Naqqar family, killing his relatives and destroying his future. This language creates the false impression of a faceless tragedy, when in reality, it is the result of calculated Israeli military invasions. In contrast, later in the article, you write, “after the Israel-Hamas war broke out, those dreams were shattered,” but by then, much of the critical context has been lost. From the start, the article should make clear that this war is being inflicted by Israel. Your first sentence should rather read: “But for Wassim Naqqar, Israel’s war in Gaza has forced him to practise in unusual places…” While I do not expect Israel’s role to be mentioned in every sentence, the article should begin by explicitly stating that Israel is the aggressor attacking Gaza.
Third, I take issue with your use of the word “incursion” in the following sentence: “Israel's responding incursion into the Strip has killed more than 41,000 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.” The term “incursion” implies a sudden, brief attack or border crossing, which is not an accurate term; this is not a momentary operation but a prolonged, devastating war. For the past 11 months, Israel has relentlessly waged a brutal and sustained military campaign against Gaza. The word “incursion” significantly downplays the scale and intentionality of Israel’s assaults.
The UN Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner has accused Israel of war crimes, including “starvation as a method of warfare, murder or willful killing, intentionally directing attacks against civilians and civilian objects, forcible transfer, sexual violence, torture and inhuman or cruel treatment, arbitrary detention, and outrages upon personal dignity.” Referring to these massacres and military invasions as “incursions” is a dangerous distortion that trivializes the gravity Israel’s war crimes and undermines the suffering of Palestinians.
Your sentence should instead read: “Israel's responding military invasion and following siege into the Gaza Strip has killed more than 41,000 people…”
Given your previous responses, Nancy, I trust you value thoughtful feedback, and I hope you will take these recommendations seriously in this and future reporting.
Sincerely,
Lynn Naji
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East