"As El-Kurd notes, Palestinian voices are rarely considered sufficient; they must always be corroborated by Western ones. For example, many continue to question the casualty figures released by the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza, despite their long-standing use and verification by the UN and other international organizations."
August 21, 2025
To the La Converse team,
I am writing to you on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East to thank you for your article titled: “Why do media avoid using “genocide” for Gaza?”
I especially appreciate that you gave space to Palestinian journalist Rami Abou Jamous, who noted: “When it comes out of the mouth of a Palestinian, or a Palestinian agency, nobody listens. It has to come from abroad, from a Westerner, for us to realize [what is happening in Gaza].”
This double standard has been described by Mohamed El-Kurd in his book Perfect Victims and the Politics of Appeal, where he writes that Palestinians are treated as inherently suspect or untrustworthy. The world listens when a Westerner speaks, but when the same testimony comes from a Palestinian on the ground, it is immediately doubted.
As El-Kurd notes, Palestinian voices are rarely considered sufficient; they must always be corroborated by Western ones. For example, many continue to question the casualty figures released by the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza, despite their long-standing use and verification by the UN and other international organizations.
All of that to say, thank you for giving space to Palestinian journalist Rami Abou Jamous who talks about this double standard.
As El-Kurd writes: “When it comes to Palestine, the sacred laws of journalism are bendable. Optional even. Omitting facts is standard. Fabrication permissible.” He is right. Much of Western media, when covering Israel’s genocide against Palestinians, echoes Israeli talking points, buries Palestinian voices, and sanitizes the language of occupation. In doing so, media become complicit in genocide—normalizing Israel’s ongoing bombardment, mass imprisonment, and illegal detention of Palestinians.
Your article, however, broke from this pattern of complicity. Please continue to write about Palestine, to share and amplify Palestinian voices—especially in a media landscape so heavily biased against them.
Lynn Naji
Media Analyst
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East