The Media Accountability Project  

On November 25, 2024, a CJPME media analyst submitted a complaint to the Canadian Jewish News (CJN) regarding its misleading claim that “some people were filmed performing Nazi salutes and warning Jewish counter-demonstrators of the coming ‘final solution.’”

However, only one individual, Mai Abdulhadi, was identified as both performing a Nazi salute and referencing the “final solution.”

We argued that presenting these acts as though they were carried out by multiple individuals wrongly suggested that such antisemitic behaviour was widespread among pro-Palestine demonstrators. Such framing that is neither fair nor accurate. Given the widespread efforts to defame Palestine solidarity activists as antisemites, CJPME was alarmed that such an egregious example perpetuated anti-Palestinian racism.

In a landmark decision, the Quebec Press Council upheld CJPME’s complaint, ruling that CJN engaged in “sensationalism” by exaggerating reality and wrongly suggesting broader antisemitic behaviour among pro-Palestine demonstrators.

CJN is now obligated to publish the ruling and notify the Press Council within the next 30 days.

"This framing misrepresents CJPME’s advocacy for Palestine human rights by conflating criticisms of Israel’s human rights violations of Palestinians as antisemitic in nature. In fact, such conflation which perpetuates a harmful narrative equating Palestine solidarity with antisemitism is a clear example of anti-Palestinian racism, as defined by the Arab Canadian Lawyers Association and the federal government through the Canadian Guide to Understanding and Combating Islamophobia."

On October 20, 2025, the Black Press media outlet Penticton Western News  published an article titled “Penticton Summerland MLA to exit BC Conservative caucus over party leader.”

In the original version, the story made unsubstantiated claims of antisemitism directed at CJPME:

“The only post that Rustad might have referred to or considered anti-semitic was a copy of a message partially preserved by the Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East group where Boultbee blasted the United Nations for not doing anything while children in Gaza were being killed and said that war crimes and genocide were being streamed in 4K.”

CJPME’s post merely documented MLA Amelia Boultbee’s deleted Facebook statement condemning Israel’s war crimes and the killing of civilians in Gaza. There was absolutely nothing antisemitic in our content. By suggesting that our post “could be considered antisemitic,” the journalist inserted a subjective and baseless opinion unsupported by evidence or context. The phrasing by Black Press reporter Brennan Phillips misrepresented CJPME’s work while reinforcing anti-Palestinian racism in the media that criticism of Israeli actions is equivalent to antisemitism.

Following a letter by CJPME Media Analyst Anthony Issa demanding a correction, Penticton Western News revised the story to remove the false implication.

The graph was reworked as follows:

The only post that Boultbee has shared that references Gaza or Israel is in a now-deleted Facebook post that was shared and partially preserved by the Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East group.

 The following editor’s note was added at the end of the article:

“This story has been updated to clarify language that it was Rustad who claimed Boultbee shared anti-semitic messaging, and the CJPME’s post did not contain antisemitic material, nor was there any basis for implying otherwise.”

This correction and editor’s note represent an important acknowledgment of CJPME’s accurate and legitimate advocacy. CJPME will not allow journalists or media outlets to misrepresent our advocacy for Palestinian human rights or smear us as antisemitic for speaking the truth.

CJPME supports a neutral, transparent investigation that considers all credible allegations. Calls for accountability are not directed at any group or nationality, but reflect Canada’s legal responsibility to uphold international norms and prevent impunity