"Thank you for publishing an opinion piece that provided context that readers typically don’t see in reports and articles in the Canadian media. For example, the Palestinian death toll, the investigation by the ICJ in examining Israel’s role in committing genocide and the illegal occupation that Palestinians have been enduring for 77 years."
May 13, 2025
Dear Mr. Allen and Mr. Vincent,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) in regards to the Opinion article It's time for Canada to call on the Israeli govenment to respect International Law that was published on May 10, 2025.
Thank you for publishing an opinion piece that provided context that readers typically don’t see in reports and articles in the Canadian media. For example, the Palestinian death toll, the investigation by the ICJ in examining Israel’s role in commiting genocide and the illegal occupation that Palestinians have been enduring for 77 years. I appreciated also that the article named the expectation that Canada hold Israel to account for their violations of international law. An expectation grounded in our responsibility as a member state of the United Nation and specifically the call from the Office of the UN Human Rights Commission that member states take action.
My one critique would be the use of the word ‘terrorists’ to describe Hamas militants. I appreciate it is an opinion article but the use of that term is not universally accepted among all countries. In fact, many of the countries that are designating Hamas as a ‘terrorist organization’ are the very countries that are complicit in supporting Israel’s ongoing genocide in the occupied Gaza Strip. Furthermore, the academic research reported on the Government of Canada’s website indicates that defining ‘terrorism’ is a highly contentious, highly malleable and open to many different definitions and interpretations. Rather than using that term to describe Hamas I would suggest that future articles should present the facts without using politically charged language and terms.
Please continue to publish articles that raise up the concerns of Canadians who are advocating for our government to call on Israel to abide by International Law.
With gratitude
Debbie Hubbard
CJPME-Okanagan
Kelowna, British Columbia