While Israel routinely claims that it only targets infrastructure linked to the resistance in Lebanon, there have been repeated attacks on civilian infrastructure and civilians themselves. Yet the article glaringly omits this perspective and instead uncritically repeats Israeli military claims.
To the Toronto Star and Associated Press,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (www.cjpme.org) to express concern over the Associated Press article published by Toronto Star titled: “Israeli drone strikes on vehicles in Lebanon kill 12 people, including 2 children.”
The article specifies that the Israeli forces struck “Hezbollah infrastructure” in several areas in southern Lebanon, hours after telling residents of six southern villages to evacuate.
The issue is that the article does not provide any space to challenge or raise skepticism regarding the claim that the Israeli forces are solely targeting Hezbollah infrastructure in Lebanon.
While Israel routinely claims that it only targets infrastructure linked to the resistance in Lebanon, there have been repeated attacks on civilian infrastructure and civilians themselves. Yet the article glaringly omits this perspective and instead uncritically repeats Israeli military claims.
According to reporting by Roqayya Chamseddine, a correspondent for The Cradle, one of the Israeli strikes on March 13 deliberately targeted a van transporting essential aid boxes and food supplies intended for families forcibly displaced by Israeli attacks.
In fact, data shared with The National by Lebanon’s Southern Council indicates that nearly 100,000 civilian infrastructure sites have been destroyed or damaged by Israel since March 2.
In previous reporting, including another Associated Press article, it was noted that while the Israeli military claimed it was destroying alleged Hezbollah infrastructure in Yaroun, the article also reported that “the Catholic Church in Lebanon rejected claims that the compound was used for military purposes.”
Why is the same journalistic standard not applied here?
The Toronto Star and the Associated Press should maintain this same standard by including counter-perspectives when reporting on Israeli military claims, particularly given the repeated targeting of civilian infrastructure and life-sustaining supplies in Lebanon. Just today, the Israeli forces targeted the Resala medical center in Qsaybeh, in the Nabatieh district, in another deliberate attack on first responders (including paramedics, firefighters, and ambulance services.)
Israel has a long and well-documented history of spreading misinformation to justify its war crimes and crimes against humanity. As outlined in the Canadian Association of Journalists’ ethics guidelines, fairness and diversity in reporting are pillars of responsible journalism. The article should therefore be amended to include a Lebanese perspective from the ground, particularly given that the Israeli army has been repeatedly targeting civilian infrastructure and civilians themselves in Lebanon.
Media Analyst
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East