"Just today, Israel has launched airstrikes targeting Syrian air defense systems, naval ships, military warehouses, and infrastructure in and around Damascus. These are not hypothetical “opportunities,” but active and ongoing military strikes. Framing them as such minimizes the reality of Israel’s current violations of Syrian sovereignty and presents its military actions as a strategic move, rather than an ongoing invasion."
December 20, 2024
To:
Nancy Waugh, Managing Editor, CBC News
Tom Parry, Senior Reporter, CBC News
Melissa Mancini, Producer, CBC The National
Dear Ms. Waugh, Ms. Mancini, and Mr. Parry,
On behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME), I am writing to express my concern about the CBC National News broadcast segment titled “Israeli military confirms it has troops inside Syria east of Golan Heights”, published on December 9, 2024.
I have two issues with this segment:
1) Omission of Crucial Context in Headline
The headline of the video omits the integral fact that the Golan Heights is internationally recognized as Syrian territory under Israeli occupation. Although it is mentioned in the video, this context is not included in the headline. In a media landscape that continuously paints Arabs as aggressors, it is so important that the language used in the media does not obscure Israel's occupation of Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria.
I urge CBC News to always include reference to the Israeli occupation of the Golan Heights, Gaza, West Bank, and East Jerusalem to ensure people understand Israel’s decades of brutal occupation.
2) Misleading Framing of Israeli Military Actions in Syria
I take issue with the statement made by the news anchor that “it is an opportunity for Israel but also it is acknowledging the security concerns.” This is misleading and a factually incorrect claim. Just today, Israel has launched airstrikes targeting Syrian air defense systems, naval ships, military warehouses, and infrastructure in and around Damascus. These are not hypothetical “opportunities,” but active and ongoing military strikes. Framing them as such minimizes the reality of Israel’s current violations of Syrian sovereignty and presents its military actions as a strategic move, rather than an ongoing invasion.
This misrepresentation is concerning, especially in light of CBC's own standards and practices, particularly its principles of accuracy and impartiality, which are designed to ensure that coverage does not inadvertently editorialize, legitimize, or justify violations of international law.
I urge CBC in future reporting to reassess its framing of Israel’s military actions, especially when covering conflicts that involve clear violations of international law.
I would like to emphasize that my concerns come from a genuine commitment to holding journalists and Canadian media accountable for their reporting on the Middle East, as well as raising awareness about harmful stereotypes that dehumanize Arabs.
I trust you will address these issues with the urgency and seriousness they warrant, taking concrete steps to ensure fairness, accuracy, impartiality, and integrity in your future reporting.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Warmest regards,
Lynn Naji
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East