The Media Accountability Project  

"Hamas does play an important role in Gaza in the same way that an inmate in a prison cell has a certain autonomy in his own cell. Nevertheless, just as it is the prison warden who is truly in control of the prison, Israel is truly in control of what happens in Gaza. Hamas does not control who or what goes in and out of Gaza, and any influence it may have over energy, water, airspace, cell access, etc. is at the pleasure of Israel – the occupying power."

By omitting the fact that Al-Aqsa is in Israeli-occupied territory, you exclude important context about the dynamic between Palestinians and Israeli forces and the raised tensions that have resulted from Israeli violence and their discriminatory policies. Moreover, the omission of occupied in context to East Jerusalem is inconsistent with your description of the West Bank as “occupied,” implying that the former is not occupied. 

The omission of the fact that the reported events are taking place in occupied Palestinian territory may inadvertently mislead readers into thinking that the site is located within Israel, especially due to the references to “Israeli police.” Most readers are likely not aware that Israeli “police” would be operating in occupied territory.

Your article fails to specify that the Al-Aqsa Mosque is in fact in occupied East Jerusalem which is considered occupied Palestinian territory. This is not an opinion but a matter of settled consensus at the international level as confirmed by the United Nations Security Council, the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice, and the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention.

This essential context is necessary for readers to be able to understand the nature of the ‘tensions’ and violence by Israeli forces in occupied East Jerusalem. Omitting the fact that the Al-Aqsa Mosque is in occupied Palestinian territory may advertently mislead readers into thinking that the mosque is located within Israel’s recognized borders, especially due to the references to "Israeli police."

"This essential context is necessary for readers to be able to understand the nature of the ‘tensions’ and violence by Israeli forces in occupied East Jerusalem. Omitting the fact that the Al-Aqsa Mosque is in occupied Palestinian territory may advertently mislead readers into thinking that the mosque is located within Israel’s recognized borders, especially due to the references to 'Israeli police.' Further, readers may also be confused since your reporting maintains that the recent shooting attack against Israelis took place in the 'occupied West Bank,' whereas you do not use the same characterization for occupied East Jerusalem."

This essential context is necessary for readers to be able to understand the nature of the “tensions” and violence by Israeli forces in occupied East Jerusalem. Omitting the fact that the Al-Aqsa Mosque is in occupied Palestinian territory may advertently mislead readers into thinking that the mosque is located within Israel’s recognized borders, especially due to the references to “Israeli police.” Considering the Globe and Mail’s high stature, it is frankly very disappointing that this critical fact was left out of your news article.

Your headline, “Violence at holy Jerusalem site raises tensions over holidays” uses extremely passive language. It is important to make clear the perpetrators and the victims of this “violence.” In this case, Israeli forces stormed the Al-Aqsa mosque (perpetrators) and beat Palestinian civilian worshippers (victims).

In your description of the events, you fail to mention that Jerusalem’s Old City is in East Jerusalem, considered occupied Palestinian territory under international law. This is not an opinion but a settled consensus at the international level, as confirmed by the United Nations Security Council and other legal bodies. It is also the long-standing position of the Canadian government. By omitting this critical context, your article obfuscates the reality of the military occupation under which Palestinian residents of Jerusalem live.

"By deleting “occupied,” you misrepresent T’ruah’s own self-description, and you exclude context regarding Israel’s 55-year military occupation of Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem."

I am disappointed that your article failed to consult or quote a single Palestinian.  A Palestinian perspective could have provided insight into the typical inequity in justice in the West Bank.  This is disappointing failure to provide diverse viewpoints – a serious journalistic issue.