"In fact, conflating legitimate criticism of Israel—an apartheid state and occupying power currently waging an ongoing genocide against Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip—with antisemitism is itself a form of antisemitism, as it erases the distinction between a political ideology and Jewish identity."
May 28, 2025
To the Winnipeg Free Press team,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East to express several concerns about the article written by Joyanne Pursaga, published in the Winnipeg Free Press on Tuesday, May 27, 2025.
The article ends by quoting Mayor Scott Gillingham, who states that “there is no room for antisemitism in the city,” prompting readers to interpret the incident primarily through the lens of antisemitism—even though Ramsey Zeid’s alleged actions relate to anti-Zionist content, not anti-Jewish sentiment. Without adding proper context, the article conflates anti-Zionism with antisemitism, which is both misleading and unjust.
Criticism of Zionism is not antisemitic.
In fact, conflating legitimate criticism of Israel—an apartheid state and occupying power currently waging an ongoing genocide against Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip—with antisemitism is itself a form of antisemitism, as it erases the distinction between a political ideology and Jewish identity.
Weaponizing antisemitism to shield Israel from accountability is a disingenuous tactic that distracts the very meaning of antisemitism and seeks to silence any form of Palestinian advocacy. I urge you, in future reporting, to clearly state that not all Jews are Zionists, and that anti-Zionism is not antisemitism. The failure to draw this distinction—especially in a piece like this, where Palestinian political expression is framed through the lens of antisemitism—misinforms readers and falsely casts Palestinian voices as inherently violent. It is the responsibility of journalists to provide accurate context, not amplify narratives that conflate dissent with hate.
Second, the article presents a glaring double standard in its treatment of casualties: it specifies that “1,200 civilians were killed and another 250 were taken hostage” during Hamas’s October 2023 attack, yet vaguely states that “tens of thousands of people have died” in Gaza.
The article should have specified that at least 54,056 Palestinians have been killed by Israel, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza.
I kindly ask that the Winnipeg Free Press uphold its responsibility to inform readers accurately, without reinforcing harmful narratives or erasing Palestinian voices.
Warm regards,
Lynn Naji
Media Analyst, CJPME (www.cjpme.org)
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East / Canadiens pour la Justice et la Paix au Moyen-Orient
580 Saint-Croix, Suite 060, Saint-Laurent, QC H4L 3X5
438-380-5410