Earlier this week, the Globe and Mail editorial board – the editorial leaders of the paper – published a hawkish and very racially insensitive position. Not only was the editorial indifferent to violence against Palestinians, but it also ignored core precepts of international law around the protection of civilians under international law.
Disgraceful Globe & Mail editorial - Media outlet to be critiqued
A CJPME Media Researcher has launched a media alert for the following article. Please submit a quick response to the media, even if it’s just a sentence or two:
Title of Piece: Globe and Mail Editorial Board: “Canada must stand by Israel”
Media Outlet: Globe and Mail
Click here to access the piece on-line or click here to view a copy in .pdf
Comments of the CJPME Media Researcher:
(Note: Please do not copy and paste the material below as the content to your message to the media - put all comments in your own words):
Earlier this week, the Globe and Mail editorial board – the editorial leaders of the paper – published a hawkish and very racially insensitive position. Not only was the editorial indifferent to violence against Palestinians, but it also ignored core precepts of international law around the protection of civilians under international law.
The excerpts below are some of most problematic points from the editorial:
Quote: “Israel has the right to defend itself, even if the exercise of that right results in collateral civilian casualties.”
Quote(s): "It will be tempting, as casualties inevitably mount, to lapse into the lazy notion that the two sides in the conflict need to agree to a ceasefire." "And a ceasefire will have to come at a time of Israel’s choosing, once it believes the threat posed by Hamas has been eliminated."
Quote: "There are Israelis, kidnapped and murdered, and there is Hamas, the kidnappers and murderers. "
Some of the possible points to emphasize in your letter might include:
(Please put put your points in your own words):
- The Globe gives tacit approval to the mass slaughter of Palestinian civilians. This is highly troubling, unethical, and racially insensitve.
- The Globe's editorial explicitly contradicts two principles of international law: 1) the need to discriminate between civilians and combatants, and 2) the need to respond proportionately.
- The Globe's editorial incites war and violence - the privilege of the rich and powerful - rather than seeking a peaceful resolution to the violence. The Globe should push first for a peaceful resolution of the current flare-up, resulting in the safe release of hostages. The Globe should also push for a long-term resolution, whereby Palestinians enjoy their freedom and human rights, and both peoples live in peace and security.
- Blind support for Israel and encouragement of violence ignores the underlying cause of Palestinian armed resistance. The Globe disserves its readers by failing to contextualize Palestinian armed resistance.
- The Globe editorial presents the most reductive view possible of Hamas and Israelis - "murderers" and "murdered." Given that Israel has done the vast majority of the "murdering" over the past six decades, this is intellectually dishonest, offensive to the legitimate grievances of the Palestinian people, and morally bankrupt.
The Globe asks for letters of no more than 150 words. They also ask for your name, address and daytime phone number.
Please click here to launch an email in which you can draft a response to this media coverage.
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Thank you very much. Every response makes a difference.
The CJPME Media Centre Team
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