"This tactic, known as the “Dahiye Doctrine,” originated in the Dahiya neighborhood of Beirut, where the Israeli Offensive Forces conducted devastating assaults during the 2006 war against Lebanon. This resulted in nearly 1,000 civilian casualties, a third of whom were children, alongside widespread destruction of essential civilian infrastructure. General Gadi Eisenkot, then Chief of Israeli Northern Command, justified these actions by stating, 'These are not civilian villages; they are military bases.'"
October 23, 2024
To:
Liam O'Connor, Reporter, CBC News
Nancy Waugh, Managing Editor, CBC News
Brodie Fenlon, News Editor in Chief, CBC News
Dear Liam O'Connor, Nancy Waugh, and Brodie Fenlon
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) to express our gratitude for your article titled: “Saskatoon nurse returns from 'heart-wrenching' 6-week assignment in Gaza.”
After months of advocacy, I appreciate that you accurately reported that while the Gaza Ministry of Health does not explicitly distinguish between combatants and non-combatants, it specifies that the majority of Palestinians killed in Israel’s year-long genocidal campaign in occupied Gaza are women and children. For over a year, Israel has been systematically targeting civilian infrastructure in occupied Gaza, falsely justifying these attacks by claiming that Hamas leaders are concealing weapons—a narrative the resistance has consistently denied.
I also want to draw to your attention that the deliberate bombing of banks, hospitals, and ambulances is a calculated strategy designed to instill fear and dissuade the civilian population from supporting the resistance. This tactic, known as the “Dahiye Doctrine,” originated in the Dahiya neighborhood of Beirut, where the Israeli Offensive Forces conducted devastating assaults during the 2006 war against Lebanon. This resulted in nearly 1,000 civilian casualties, a third of whom were children, alongside widespread destruction of essential civilian infrastructure. General Gadi Eisenkot, then Chief of Israeli Northern Command, justified these actions by stating, “These are not civilian villages; they are military bases.”
For the past year, Israel seems to be implementing the Dahiya Doctrine in occupied Gaza—indiscriminately bombing civilians and civilian infrastructure—which serves as a stark reminder that journalists must specify that the majority of Palestinian casualties are women and children.
Lastly, since Article 51 of the Fourth Geneva Convention prohibits attacks “which may be expected to cause incidental loss of civilian life, injury to civilians, damage to civilian objects,” it is important for journalists to specify that while the Gaza Ministry of Health may not differentiate between combatants and non-combatants, it clearly indicates that the majority of Palestinians killed by Israel’s genocide in occupied Gaza are women and children.
As part of our ongoing efforts, we urge you to continue adhering to the journalistic standard of precise language in your reporting.
Thank you once again for your commitment to truthful, accurate, and fair journalism. Please continue to do so.
Best regards,
Lynn Naji
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East