The Media Accountability Project  

The National Post published an opinion piece filled with misinformation. Even though it is an opinion piece, it crosses a line, breaching the basic journalistic standards of accuracy. Opinion articles must still be based on facts. Help us in pressuring the National Post to correct the piece and the public record.

"I am raising this because the media has a responsibility to approach Israeli claims with skepticism, particularly when they are not verified by independent third parties. Failing to do so risks amplifying an Israeli narrative that justifies war crimes, specifically those outlined in article 8(2)(b)(ii) of the Rome Statute (1998), which criminalizes intentionally targeting civilian objects, including homes, schools, and hospitals."

"I urge the National Post to clarify that investigations by the UN and independent bodies have found no systemic links between UNRWA and Hamas. If you’re going to borrow the body text of syndicated press, you ought to include the section where they explicitly state that Israeli allegations against UNRWA employees remain unproven and do not rely on unverified claims without context."

"This is also a major double standard on the part of your newsroom. Imagine describing Russia's actions in Ukraine using Kremlin terminology such as using the term “special military operation” instead of “war.” It would rightly be condemned as irresponsible. The same standard should be applied to Palestinians in the West Bank."

"A fair-minded column about free speech on campus should at least note Yousef’s numerous statements that promote violence against Muslims. Wiseman’s column reads as hollow and disingenuous. There are debates to be had about controversial speakers and free speech on campus, but Wiseman is exploiting these legitimate questions to lend legitimacy to professionalized Islamophobia."

After a successful Media Alert campaign, the National Post issued a correction of its disinformation regarding the death of former senior Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

Initially, the opinion piece by Vivian Bercovici falsely claimed that Sinwar's body was found with an UNRWA identity card, a baseless assertion without credible evidence. This defamatory accusation aimed to malign the UN's relief agency and create misleading associations between humanitarian aid organizations and Hamas. The correction was prompted by a combination of CJPME's alert, complaints by Media Responders, and public call-outs. The result reinforces the value that grassroots flak has in challenging unfair media narratives and false claims about Palestinians.

Not only did the National Post correct the error, it has now added an editorial note:

This column has been updated to remove the incorrect claim that the body of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was not found with an UNRWA identity card.

However, CJPME did not initially notice that the editor's note itself, as seen above, introduced an error, as it suggests Sinwar was "not" found with an UNRWA identity card. In a follow-up with National Post's Editor-in-Chief, CJPME forced another update to resolve the issue. The editor's note now reads:

Editor’s note: This column has been updated to remove the incorrect claim that the body of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was found with an UNRWA identity card.

CJPME is grateful for its dedicated Media Responders for their ongoing persistence. These coordinated efforts of solidarity highlight that we can hold media accountable and combat one-sided narratives on Palestine.  If you are not already signed up, please become a Media Responder by clicking here.

The National Post's amendment, although important, should serve as a reminder that there are rules to free speech. Legacy papers must live up to their standards and disinformation is never acceptable even if it advances your editorial line. 

[Page updated on November 11, 2024]

In her opinion piece, former Canadian ambassador to Israel Vivian Bercovici makes numerous misleading claims regarding the circumstances surrounding the death of Yahya Sinwar. However, the most libellous statement was her inclusion of a debunked claim that Sinwar was carrying an UNRWA identity card, despite no credible evidence from reliable sources confirming this.

This type of celebration of state violence, especially in a context where civilians, including children, were killed is a new low for the conservative newspaper. This piece violates the ethical principles of responsible journalism, particularly as outlined by the National NewsMedia Council (NNC).

"A phrase like this one – 'Israeli soldiers have repeatedly raided the camp to kill and capture suspected militants' – places the violent enforcers of an illegal occupation on the side of 'order,' as you state explicitly in asking whether those you select to define as 'Palestinian forces,' and we quote, 'can impose order without Israeli interference.'"

The use of such strong language when describing Israeli settler attacks on innocent Palestinians, especially in a situation in which the violence is asymmetrical, is inflammatory and a violation of basic journalistic standards. I insist that you immediately remove the words “revenge” or “avenge” in both articles and their headlines.