On April 16, 2024, CJPME sent a letter to Global News, pushing the media outlet to make changes regarding an article about Canada’s position and Israel’s reaction following Israel’s strike on a World Central Kitchen convoy that killed seven aid workers.
CJPME wrote that the article was misleading by using language that undermines Israel’s actions and responsibility in the situation in Palestine.
CJPME asked Global News to change the words “Israeli citizens” to “Israeli civilians, foreigners, and security forces” as only 695 people of the 1,200 people killed on Oct. 7 were Israeli civilians.
Following our letter, Global News changed the words “Israeli citizens” to “people.”
CJPME also asked to challenge Israeli claims that the strike “was a mistake” and that it “punished the military officials it says were responsible.”
CJPME pointed out that Israel knew exactly what it was doing and that the mistake was the failure to kill an alleged militant and not attack the convoy at all. CJPME also pointed out that a reserve colonel and a major were dismissed from their posts and that three more senior officers were reprimanded. Therefore, the word “punishment” did not feel appropriate in this case at all.
It is disappointing that Global News would not make the changes we asked for and think that we will be satisfied with this bare-minimum change. This only encourages us to be even more persistent in asking for changes from Global News.