The Media Accountability Project  

Lack of context in coverage of UN peacekeepers shooting Israeli drone

Figures released by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) show that Israel has committed thousands of ceasefire violations since its implementation, among them over 2,000 armed assaults and nearly 6,000 breaches of Lebanese airspace north of the Blue Line since November 2024. 

To the CP24 Newsroom,

I am writing to you on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East regarding your article titled: “Conflicting accounts emerge after UN peacekeepers shoot down Israeli drone.”

First, the article mentions that “the incident took place as Israeli strikes over Lebanon intensify amid scrambles to hold a tense ceasefire that ended Israel’s war with Hezbollah last November.” It is important to note, however, that the ceasefire has been “tense” precisely because Israel has repeatedly violated the ceasefire agreement by conducting near-daily drone flights across Lebanese airspace and carrying out airstrikes in southern Lebanon.

Figures released by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) show that Israel has committed thousands of ceasefire violations since its implementation, among them over 2,000 armed assaults and nearly 6,000 breaches of Lebanese airspace north of the Blue Line since November 2024. 

Outlets such as the BBC have acknowledged these ongoing violations regarding the same coverage of UN peacekeepers shooting down an Israeli drone. I urge you to include this important context regarding Israel’s ongoing violations of the ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel.

Second, the article mentions that “the militant group Hezbollah, largely based in southern Lebanon, began firing rockets into Israel in support of Hamas and the Palestinians.”

Palestinians have been enduring what United Nations experts have described as a genocide. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is currently subject to International Criminal Court arrest warrants for committing war crimes and crimes against humanity, including the use of starvation as a weapon of war by halting humanitarian aid from entering Gaza for months. This is crucial context that should be added to help readers understand the motivations behind Hezbollah’s involvement, which were undertaken in solidarity with Palestinians enduring genocide.

Thank you for reading and I await your response.

Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East

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