Article uses neutral language + absolves Israel's role in blocking aid to the occupied Gaza Strip

"The Palestine Institute for Public Diplomacy urges journalists to “avoid using misleading and inaccurate terminology,” as such language can create a narrative “far-removed from reality” and can, in some cases, be used deliberately to whitewash Israel’s crimes." 


January 10, 2025

To:

Donovan Vincent, Public Editor, Toronto Star

Nicole MacIntyre, Editor-in-Chief, Toronto Star

Dear Toronto Star editors,

On behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East, I am writing to express several concerns regarding the Associated Press article published by the Toronto Star on January 10, 2025, titled “Body of an Israeli hostage is found in Gaza, possibly alongside his son’s remains, army says.”

I am specifically concerned with the neutral language used in this sentence and the lack of assigning Israel responsibility for blocking aid from coming into the occupied Gaza Strip: “The war has flattened large areas of Gaza and displaced around 90% of its 2.3 million people, with many forced to flee multiple times. Hundreds of thousands are packed into sprawling tent camps along the coast with limited access to food and other essentials. 

First, to refer to Israel’s more than one year of genocide in the occupied Gaza Strip as “flattening” Gaza is neutral and misleading. While I understand the desire to maintain a veneer of balance, describing Gaza—reduced to rubble and rendered uninhabitable, as explicitly stated by the UN, due to Israel’s relentless carpet-bombing of residential areas with bunkers and air strikes—as “flattened” is an editorial choice that downplays Israel’s genocidal intent. You hyperlink to an AP article, which opens with “The Gaza Strip is in ruins,” starkly contrasts with the neutral use of “flattened.”

The Palestine Institute for Public Diplomacy urges journalists to “avoid using misleading and inaccurate terminology,” as such language can create a narrative “far-removed from reality” and can, in some cases, be used deliberately to whitewash Israel’s crimes. While your article is relatively fair overall, my intent in writing is to highlight the dangers of using neutral language that obscures the destruction of infrastructure Israel has deliberately inflicted in the occupied Gaza Strip. 

Given that you have already linked to a more descriptive account, I strongly urge you to revise your sentence to more accurately describe occupied Gaza as being "reduced to rubble" or "in ruins" rather than use neutral language like “flattened”. I understand my ask is minor, but in a media landscape marred by painting Palestinians as the instigators of violence, it is so important to use accurate language that reflects Israel's genocidal intent. 

Second, AP’s reporting on occupied Gaza’s limited access to food and other essentials excludes to mention that it is Israel, the Zionist entity, who has been imposing a siege and blockade to the passage of basic goods like diapers. By absolving Israel of its responsibility for imposing a “total siege on Gaza cutting off electricity, water, fuel, and humanitarian aid” as mentioned in Amnesty International’s report, the Toronto Star fails to hold Israel accountable and is complicit in the dehumanization of Palestinians. 

As such, please rightly assign responsibility to Israel is limiting access to aid in the occupied Gaza Strip, as the Zionist settler colonial entity is doing so as to bring about the starvation of Palestinians with the intent to destroy Palestinians as highlighted by Amnesty International, breaching the third act prohibited under the Geneva Convention which is deliberately inflicting Palestinians in Gaza “conditions of life calculated to bring about their physical destruction.”  

I would like to remind the Toronto Star that my intent in writing is to hold the media accountable and ensure that coverage of the Israel-Palestine issue adheres to the ethical standards of journalism as outlined by the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ).

I look forward to your response.

Warm regards,

Lynn Naji

Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East