"As a member of the National NewsMedia Council, the Toronto Sun has a responsibility to adhere to journalistic standards of accuracy and fairness. By framing the occupation as a matter of dispute without providing proper context, the article fails to meet these standards."
January 30, 2025
Dear Bryan Passifiume and Adrienne Batra,
I’m writing to express concern regarding the article, “Member of pro-Palestinian group calls Hamas terror designation 'problematic,'” by Bryan Passifiume, published in the Toronto Sun. The article contains misleading statements that misrepresent the legal and factual status of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories.
The article frames Israel’s occupation as a matter of dispute in two ways:
- Use of Quotation Marks: The article states, “[Dalia] El Farra continued, explaining that Palestinian ‘resistance’ is a legitimate response to what she described as Israel’s ‘occupation’ of Gaza.” By placing “occupation” in quotes, the author implies that the occupation is merely El Farra’s subjective opinion, rather than a widely recognized legal and factual reality.
- Misleading Terminology: Later, the article refers to the occupied Palestinian territories as “disputed territories,” stating, “[El Farra] finished the interview by saying Palestinian ‘resistance’ will continue as long as Israel remains in the disputed territories.” This terminology is inaccurate and misrepresents the legal status of these territories.
According to international law, international legal bodies, Canadian policy, and the consensus of the international community, Israel occupies East Jerusalem, the West Bank, as well as the Gaza Strip. This position is supported by numerous authoritative sources, including the International Court of Justice, UN fact-finding missions, Human Rights Watch, and the International Committee of the Red Cross. The characterization of these territories as “disputed” rather than “occupied” is inconsistent with international legal standards and misleads readers about the reality on the ground.
As a member of the National NewsMedia Council, the Toronto Sun has a responsibility to adhere to journalistic standards of accuracy and fairness. By framing the occupation as a matter of dispute without providing proper context, the article fails to meet these standards.
I urge the Toronto Sun to issue a clarification stating that East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip are considered occupied under international law, and to avoid using the term “disputed territories” without proper qualification.
Sincerely,
Jason Toney
Director of Media Advocacy, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East