That said, I’d like to raise a concern that echoes a point made by Palestinian writer Mohammed El-Kurd, from occupied Jerusalem, in Perfect Victims and the Politics of Appeal. He writes, “correspondents kill us with passive voice… they never mention the culprit, let alone condemn the culprit.”
June 3, 2025
Re: “Moved in yet kept out” by Bryan Laprise
To the editor,
Thank you for publishing the piece highlighting the story of Jehan El-Sayed and her husband Nasser, Palestinian refugees from the occupied Gaza Strip now living in Sherbrooke, Quebec. Despite having been forced to evacuate Gaza to seek refuge in Canada, as the article highlights, they continue to face bureaucratic barriers, limited work permits, and a lack of provincial health insurance. Alas, this is the story of so many Palestinians, hardship over hardship.
That said, I’d like to raise a concern that echoes a point made by Palestinian writer Mohammed El-Kurd, from occupied Jerusalem, in Perfect Victims and the Politics of Appeal. He writes, “correspondents kill us with passive voice… they never mention the culprit, let alone condemn the culprit.”
Toward the end, the article states: “While she wouldn't have wished to leave her home, she wouldn’t want to go back right now amid the conflict and all the destruction that was caused.” But who caused that destruction?
It is Israel—the occupying power which, as Amnesty International and other human rights organizations have concluded, is committing genocide—that is responsible for the ongoing bombardment of Palestinians and the destruction in Gaza. I understand that such omissions may be unintentional, but I urge you, in this and future reporting, to name Israel explicitly. This is not simply about assigning blame—it is about offering readers essential context and ensuring that Israel is not absolved of accountability. Without this clarity, Palestinian suffering is at risk of being portrayed as self-inflicted or occurring in a vacuum, rather than as the result of decades of Israeli genocide, occupation, blockade, and apartheid.
Lynn Naji
Media Analyst
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East