"The National Post’s decision to publish this is highly alarming and, unless it is corrected, demonstrates a basic disregard for widely-shared journalistic standards in Canada. Newspapers in Canada are responsible for the wire content they publish, and ignoring such an egregious violation of ethics sets a dangerous precedent."
April 3, 2025
Dear Rob Roberts and Jewish News Syndicate editors,
I'm writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME, cjpme.org) to express concern about the March 25 article, “Palestinian filmmaker of Oscar-winning doc 'No Other Land' arrested for stoning security: reports.”
The Jewish News Syndicate’s (JNS) story on Hamdan Ballal contradicts virtually all other reputable reporting about the beating and detainment of Ballal. The JNS story flips the narrative on its head. Virtually all of the claims in this article are contradicted or disputed by reporting in the Associated Press. JNS omits numerous eyewitness accounts, as well as the testimony of Ballal himself. This JNS report falls far short of the journalistic standards expected of reporting in Canada, especially if it appears in a newspaper that is a member of the National NewsMedia Council.
While the story of Ballal’s beating and detainment was widely reported, the Associated Press provided a balanced portrayal of the events. It is unfair, unbalanced, and inaccurate to simply omit all of the public information that contradicts the account of the Israeli military, including Ballal’s own account of having his head kicked “like a football” by Israeli settlers. Some of the claims are also not even attributed to the Israeli military or rely on vague references to “Hebrew media reports.” Reporting on these issues demands accuracy, balance, and fairness, at a minimum, and this article fails on all accounts. Additionally, the article refers to the Occupied West Bank as “Judea,” a biblical name that further erases Palestine.
The National Post’s decision to publish this is highly alarming and, unless it is corrected, demonstrates a basic disregard for widely-shared journalistic standards in Canada. Newspapers in Canada are responsible for the wire content they publish, and ignoring such an egregious violation of ethics sets a dangerous precedent.
If the National Post were to publish anti-Ukrainian propaganda that solely cites Russian military officials as its source there would be significant outcry in Canada. The accusation that the National Post is platforming Israeli propaganda is firmly grounded in statements made by JNS founders. The JNS was published with the explicit purpose of providing wire content with a pro-Israel slant. The founding publisher of JNS, Russel Pergament, said the JNS was founded because of a “need to stand up for Israel.” I am urging the Post to promptly resolve this issue.
Sincerely,
Jason Toney
Director of Media Advocacy, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East