The Media Accountability Project  

Please thank CityNews for their on-air correction to clarify that the Holy Sepulchre church in Jerusalem’s Old City is located in occupied Palestinian territory after falsely claiming it was in “Israel.” CityNews also provided important context on the Palestinian identity of the local Christian community. Continue reading

On April 13, the Toronto Star published a news article titled, "Why a debate over how to define antisemitism has reached the United Nations." Please thank Richie Assaly for his article on the pitfalls of the IHRA definition of antisemitism, and its potential adoption at the UN. There are a number of things to appreciate in the article: Assaly included several comments from Canadian opponents of the definition, including IJV and CJPME. He also highlighted how criticism of IHRA is used to repress and silence Palestine activism. He also took the time to explore and explain the demands of the joint letter signed by over 60 human rights and civil society organizations urging the UN not to adopt IHRA. Continue reading

On April 6, Yahoo News published an opinion article by Elianna Lev titled “Canada can no longer stand on the sidelines: Politicians, Jewish, Muslim groups condemn attack at Al-Aqsa mosque.” The article includes a variety of perspectives including Muslim and Jewish Canadians condemning the Israeli forces' brutal attack against Palestinian worshippers in occupied Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque. The article also quotes community leaders and activists such as Aaron Lakoff from Independent Jewish Voices as well as the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM). Continue reading

The McGill Tribune has been under attack by "Honest Reporting Canada" for its editorial position to reject a pro-Zionist opinion article. It may also face pressure from the McGill administration.  In a letter to the author of the article, the Tribune asserted its anti-Zionist stance saying that Zionism "is a settler-colonial ideology that has perpetuated the ethnic cleansing of Palestine." The Tribune has a right to its principled position and should not be bullied for its editorial decisions. Continue reading

On March 30, “The Rush with Reshmi Nair” featured an interview about Israeli apartheid with Michael Lynk, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law, Western University. As a UN Special Rapporteur last year, Lynk delivered a report to the United Nations Human Rights Council coming to similar conclusions as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, B’Tselem, and others — that Israel is an apartheid state. In a wide-ranging and balanced interview, Nair gives Lynk the opportunity to express alarm over Canada’s failure to adopt the language of these realities. Continue reading

On March 21, The Manitoban published two articles on Palestine. The first, “Support for Palestine is crucial” provides an impressive summary of recent Palestinian political history. The second, “Palestinian Awareness Week comes to U of M” describes the struggles Palestinian students and activists have been facing at the University of Manitoba. Printing both of these articles is worth applauding, especially given the contentious environment students are working in. Continue reading

In an account of her travels in Palestine, Safiya Patel shares honest stories about her experiences, including interactions with Israeli soldiers and photographs that depict Palestinian architecture, culture, and some images of the occupation. A snapshot of the beauty of Palestine, as well as the travesty of life under brutal occupation, are effectively captured in words and photographs. Her article, as well as The Varsity’s decision to publish it, deserve thanks. Continue reading

In a list of book suggestions for children in the Globe and Mail, Jeffrey Canton chose to highlight "Homeland: My Father Dreams of Palestine" by Hannah Moushabeck (Chronicle Books, 2023). The book explores the Palestinian diaspora experience in a way that is accessible and relevant to young readers. In a media landscape that often omits or, worse, deliberately silences Palestinian perspectives, it is a welcome addition and should to be celebrated. After a conversation with Mr. Canton, we’ve learned he is already under attack from pro-Israel groups for suggesting this book. Continue reading

The article is premised on claims about Ontario NDP candidate Sarah Jama sourced from pro-Israel advocacy group B’nai Brith Canada, which are entirely related to her history of advocacy for Palestinian human rights. The only specific charge made against her in the article is related to the alleged views of a student organization, Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights, which she apparently had “ties” to during her time at McMaster. This is an incredibly weak attempt to blame a candidate for things she is not even alleged to have said, and therefore amounts to nothing more than a smear campaign. Continue reading

There are many issues with this shameful op-ed in the National Post from Avi Benlolo.  First, in his discussion about “terrorism,” Benlolo makes no distinction between Palestinian violence against civilians, and Palestinian violence against legitimate military targets like Israeli soldiers.  Second, in very racist fashion, Benlolo dehumanizes Palestinians by asserting they have a “death culture.” Finally, Benlolo ignores Israeli apartheid and occupation when he accuses Palestinians of antisemitism when they attack Israelis.  Overall, Benlolo misleads his reader and ignores important context in this extreme anti-Palestinian racist rant. Continue reading