"However, the use of “capturing” rather than “occupying” risks misleading readers into thinking that Israel has a legitimate claim to the Palestinian territories. Palestinians are the indigenous people of Palestine, and media outlets should not be complicit in normalizing Israel’s illegal colonization through misleading language."
September 15, 2025
To the CBC Newsroom,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East regarding your analysis piece published on September 12, 2025 titled: “Israel's attack on Qatar was an escalation, but its invasion of Gaza City is even more consequential.”
First, I would like to thank you for this overall balanced piece, which analyzes Israel’s violence across Western Asia — striking six countries in a single week, from its recent strike on the Hamas negotiations team in Doha, Qatar, to its intensifying genocidal campaign on Palestinians in Gaza City, with the broader aim of occupying the Strip.
I especially appreciate that you raise skepticism around unverified Israeli claims, such as the recurring trope that Hamas uses civilians as human shields — claims you rightly note are “common refrains that are often presented without evidence.”
However, I would like to raise concern about a misleading choice of language in the following sentence: “Israel's government claims capturing the city is essential to defeating the remnants of Hamas …”
In advance of a security cabinet meeting, Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu openly stated that Israel is escalating in order to “take control of all Gaza.” This marks a major escalation, resulting in the continued forced displacement of tens of thousands of exhausted and starving Palestinians due to man-made famine conditions caused by Israel’s ongoing blockade of humanitarian aid.
However, the use of “capturing” rather than “occupying” risks misleading readers into thinking that Israel has a legitimate claim to the Palestinian territories. Palestinians are the indigenous people of Palestine, and media outlets should not be complicit in normalizing Israel’s illegal colonization through misleading language.
Nonetheless, thank you again for this balanced piece. I raise this concern in the sincere interest of accuracy and fairness, and with the hope of strengthening your coverage.
Lynn Naji
Media Analyst
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East