"This framing misrepresents CJPME’s advocacy for Palestine human rights by conflating criticisms of Israel’s human rights violations of Palestinians as antisemitic in nature. In fact, such conflation which perpetuates a harmful narrative equating Palestine solidarity with antisemitism is a clear example of anti-Palestinian racism, as defined by the Arab Canadian Lawyers Association and the federal government through the Canadian Guide to Understanding and Combating Islamophobia."
Dear Penticton Western News editorial team, Black Press Media and Mr. Phillips,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) to express my concern regarding your recent article titled “Penticton Summerland MLA to exit BC Conservative caucus over party leader,” published on Oct. 20, 2025.
I believe that a correction and editor’s note is necessary regarding unsubstantiated claims of antisemitism directed at CJPME made by Mr. Phillips.
The article and Mr. Philips reporting contains a misleading and unverified statement regarding a post made by CJPME:
“The only post that Rustad might have referred to or considered anti-semitic was a copy of a message partially preserved by the Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East group.”
This assertion of antisemitism is both factually inaccurate and editorially inappropriate.
CJPME’s post merely documented MLA Amelia Boultbee’s deleted Facebook statement condemning Israel’s war crimes and the killing of civilians in Gaza. There is absolutely nothing antisemitic in that content. By suggesting that our post “could be considered antisemitic,” the journalist inserted a subjective and baseless opinion unsupported by evidence or context.
This framing misrepresents CJPME’s advocacy for Palestine human rights by conflating criticisms of Israel’s human rights violations of Palestinians as antisemitic in nature. In fact, such conflation which perpetuates a harmful narrative equating Palestine solidarity with antisemitism is a clear example of anti-Palestinian racism, as defined by the Arab Canadian Lawyers Association and the federal government through the Canadian Guide to Understanding and Combating Islamophobia.
Lastly, this baseless comment also undermines Canadian reporting standards of accuracy, fairness, and impartiality fundamental to responsible journalism as outlined by the Canadian Association of Journalists.
I therefore request an immediate correction and an editor’s note clarifying that CJPME’s post did not contain antisemitic material, nor was there any basis for implying otherwise. Failure to do so will leave me no choice but to file a formal complaint with the National News Media Council.
I await your response,
Anthony Issa
Media Analyst
CJPME