"Reuters reported that Hezbollah has not commented on the claim. While their reporters could not independently verify the statements made by Israel, they emphasized that Hezbollah explicitly states it does not place military infrastructure near civilians."
October 1, 2024
To:
Andrea Baillie, Editor-in-Chief, The Canadian Press
Bassem Mroue, Journalist, Associated Press
Dear Ms. Baillie and Ms. Mroue,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) to express my concerns regarding your article titled “Israel strikes Hezbollah in a huge blast targeting the militant group's leader” published by the Canadian Press and the Associated Press on Sept. 28, 2024.
Your reporting is very one-sided towards Israel and its narrative concerning alleged claims of Hezbollah storing weapons in civilian areas. First, I take issue that as a journalist you present assertions by Israel that Hezbollah is using residential buildings to hide weapons, including anti-ship missiles as fact without skepticism. As journalists, it is your responsibility to question these claims. By repeating these statements as fact, you are whitewashing Israel’s war crimes, including collective punishment and the indiscriminate bombing of civilians in Lebanon.
This is especially concerning given Israel’s well-documented history of deceit and disinformation used to justify its actions. Therefore, Israel’s claim that Hezbollah is hiding weapons in residential areas must be rigorously scrutinized, not repeated without verification. For instance, Reuters reported that Hezbollah has not commented on the claim. While their reporters could not independently verify the statements made by Israel, they emphasized that Hezbollah explicitly states it does not place military infrastructure near civilians.
I advise that you revise this assertion. Your sentence should rather read: “It said they were being used by Hezbollah to hide weapons, including anti-ship missiles, though Hezbollah has denied these claims.”
I urge you to exercise greater diligence in your reporting on these critical issues, ensuring your audience receives a balanced and accurate perspective rather than unchallenged one-sided narratives from Israel.