"I urge you to explain to your readers that for more than a year, Israel’s genocidal actions in occupied Gaza have led to the deaths of over 43,972 Palestinians, with many still trapped under the rubble of bombed homes and tents. The official death toll is now outdated, and the UN Human Rights Office's report indicates that a majority of the fatalities in the first six months of Israel’s genocidal actions in occupied Gaza were women and children."
November 20, 2024
To:
Marilena Lucci, Editor-in-Chief, Montreal Gazette
Jeff Blond, Managing Editor, Montreal Gazette
Andy Riga, Reporter, Montreal Gazette
Dear Ms. Lucci, Mr. Blond, and Mr. Riga,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) regarding your recent article titled “Some Concordia, Dawson students set to strike over Israel-Hamas War,” published on November 18, 2024.
I would like to address a couple of issues in your article.
First, the article falls short of providing sufficient context for readers to understand why students from Concordia and Dawson are planning a strike next week. You mention that students are planning to “boycott classes for part of this week over the Israel-Hamas war” and “Israeli apartheid.” However, you fail to explain that the strike is in solidarity with Palestinians, protesting against Israel's ongoing genocidal actions in occupied Gaza. It is also part of a broader academic boycott movement and an extension of the student encampments that occurred over the summer. The headline and leading sentence of the article are inaccurate and lack the necessary context.
I urge you to explain to your readers that for more than a year, Israel’s genocidal actions in occupied Gaza have led to the deaths of over 43,972 Palestinians, with many still trapped under the rubble of bombed homes and tents. The official death toll is now outdated, and the UN Human Rights Office's report indicates that a majority of the fatalities in the first six months of Israel’s genocidal actions in occupied Gaza were women and children.
Second, you cite a statement from Concordia spokesperson Vannina Maestracci, who claims that the university “will however not tolerate criminal acts such as physical assaults, violence, or intimidation on our campus.” This represents a one-sided perspective on alleged assaults during protests. Generally, these protests are peaceful, yet they are often framed as violent, especially through statements from university spokespeople who cast the organizers in a negative light.
I encourage the Gazette to include quotes from the student associations involved in the strike or a third-party expert on Montreal’s history of student activism to provide a more balanced perspective.
Finally, you refer to Hillel Montreal and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) who condemned a post by Dawson’s Muslim Student Association (MSA) as Jewish groups. However, these organizations are not merely Jewish groups. They are pro-Israel organizations. Misrepresenting these groups as merely Jewish organizations rather than “pro-Israel” groups is dangerous because many Jewish individuals do not support Israel or its ongoing genocidal actions in occupied Gaza.
Please clarify their pro-Israel stance to prevent misrepresentation and ensure that your readers receive a more nuanced understanding of these pro-Israel organizations' motivations.
I trust that you will take these points into account and ensure that your coverage reflects the true concerns of students advocating for Palestinian liberation.
Warm regards,
Lynn Naji
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East