"I find it extremely disappointing and representative of a lack of balance that pro-Israel voices are provided a platform to criticize Al-Quds day in strong terms, but the reporting on pro-Israel counter protests downplays their far-right claims. The counter protest event poster even features an image of a temple and reads “Build the Temple Now.” This is a reference to destroying the Al-Aqsa Mosque and building the “Third Temple” in its place."
March 24, 2025
Dear Calvi Leon and Donovan Vincent,
I'm writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME, cjpme.org) to express our concern about the March 23 article, “Thousands gather in downtown Toronto for Al-Quds Day rally.”
I do want to commend your coverage of this event overall. I am grateful to see the Star committing resources to these stories and did find this to be a solid story on the whole. With that said, I hope you will consider my feedback.
Death toll
I appreciate that you corrected the death toll numbers. I am not sure this was in relation to a post I made on X, but it was an important change regardless. It does concern me that Toronto Star has repeatedly made mistakes in reporting the death toll this month. You have received complaints from my organization as well as HonestReporting Canada.
Here is some important context for you to consider moving forward when writing about the death toll:
- Human Rights Watch reported that around 815 Israeli civilians were killed on October 7. The rest of those killed were Israeli security personnel. It is also unclear how many civilians were killed by Hamas versus by Israel when the Hannibal Directive was ordered.
- In a clear double standard, the Star reports the Palestinian death toll as “more than 50,000.” However, there is no context for readers about why this number is almost certainly a profound undercount. The Lancet published a widely referenced piece on the subject. There are also countless reputable reports that the vast majority of those killed in Gaza by Israel are civilians.
- For the Star to inflate Israeli casualties and downplay Palestinian ones marks a troubling oversight over a year into reporting on a brutal genocide.
Poor coverage of counter protest
Also concerning is this article’s coverage of the counter protest.
Former Jewish Defense League (JDL) leader, Meir Weinstein, posted many images on social media that showed far-right, ultranationalist, Zionist imagery being used at the counter protest. In one photo he shared, a protester talks to police while wearing a Kahanist branded Jewish Defense League shirt. The JDL is considered a terrorist organization by the FBI.
I find it extremely disappointing and representative of a lack of balance that pro-Israel voices are provided a platform to criticize Al-Quds day in strong terms, but the reporting on pro-Israel counter protests downplays their far-right claims. The counter protest event poster even features an image of a temple and reads “Build the Temple Now.” This is a reference to destroying the Al-Aqsa Mosque and building the “Third Temple” in its place.
I think it is important for your readers to understand the nature of these counterprotests. A JDL member was recently arrested in Canada for threatening Palestine protesters. It is only fair to bring in this type of context to balance out your reporting.
Again, I appreciate your efforts on this file and these comments are given in good faith. Please do reach out if ever you need comment or have questions.
Sincerely,
Jason Toney
Director of Media Advocacy, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East