"I am troubled that your article includes the derogatory quote (“selfie yacht”) from Israel without any journalistic skepticism or pushback. Including the quote without any criticism whitewashes Israel’s perspective and dehumanizing narrative that belittles the activists’ mission and, by extension, the suffering of Palestinians facing genocide."
July 23, 2025
To the editorial team of the Link newspaper,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME), to express my concerns regarding your article from last month titled “‘Enough is enough’: Montrealers protest seized Gaza-bound aid boat,” that referenced Israel’s seizure of the Madleen vessel and the activists aboard, including Greta Thunberg.
As a former masthead member, I believe that the Link is one of the best positioned community papers in Canada when it comes to its long-standing commitment to highlighting Palestinian human rights, especially in contrast to the silence or bias of mainstream media. However, I believe a specific passage in the article risks uncritically repeating the framing of the Israeli government and excludes important context.
I am referring specifically to this paragraph:“Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the move was in line with a naval blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip since 2007, which prohibits unauthorized vessels from entering the coastal territory, according to multiple media reports. The ministry also called the 18-metre Madleen a ‘selfie yacht’ in multiple posts on X.”
As it stands, the paragraph presents the Israeli blockade as a neutral, legal measure, when in fact it has been widely condemned by the United Nations and human rights organizations as a form of collective punishment in violation of international law.
Furthermore, I am troubled that your article includes the derogatory quote (“selfie yacht”) from Israel without any journalistic skepticism or pushback. Including the quote without any criticism whitewashes Israel’s perspective and dehumanizing narrative that belittles the activists’ mission and, by extension, the suffering of Palestinians facing genocide.
To maintain your standard of advocacy reporting and solidarity with Palestine, I respectfully recommend that you add context to this paragraph. Any reference to Israeli justifications for the blockade should be clearly identified as violating international law, occupation and a form of collective punishment for Palestinians living in Gaza. At the very least, it should be contextualized with the views of international legal bodies and human rights groups. Similarly, characterizations such as “selfie yacht” should be attributed and balanced with the activists’ stated goals or responses by Palestinians.
Again, The Link plays an important role in shaping public discourse at Concordia University and Montreal. I trust you will respond to these concerns in good faith and I await your reply.
In solidarity,
Anthony Issa