The Media Accountability Project  

"Smotrich’s statements advocating, say, the starvation of 2 million Gazans, is inconvenient for Western politicians—including in Canada— who justify Israel’s atrocities as an act of self-defence. They ignore the fact that most people in Gaza have already been the victims of dispossession and displacement, as well as being blockaded in what’s been described as the world’s largest open-air prison."

Your article was exemplary, offering the exact kind of context we advocate for at CJPME in reporting on Palestine-Israel from highlighting the Nakba and the ICJ ruling regarding Israel’s possibility of committing genocide in Gaza to elevating pro-Palestine voices - ensuring they are not buried at the end of the article.

Following public pressure via a Media Alert campaign by CJPME, Orillia Matters has removed a deeply concerning letter to the editor that was heavily riddled with anti-Palestinian racism.

This editorial decision comes after the CJPME MAP team pointed out that the letter contained numerous factual inaccuracies and harmful rhetoric such as framing Palestinian rights supporters as terrorist sympathizers.

CJPME also expressed concerns about the letter’s use of orientalist and anti-Palestinian language, including phrases like “pro-Hamas supporters” when referring to pro-Palestinian activists, the inaccurate assertion that Palestinians celebrated violence against civilians and the false claim that the Gaza health ministry doesn’t distinguish between civilians and militants.

Orillia Matters ultimately removed the letter, responding to CJPME’s Media Analyst, Anthony Issa, with the message:

“Hi. Thank you for your email. The letter has been removed because it does not meet our editorial standards. I apologize.

Sincerely,

Dave Dawson, Community Editor.”

While this action demonstrates Orillia Matters’ partial commitment to editorial standards, CJPME questions the decision to publish the letter in the first place as it was so staunchly racist. CJPME expects that this outcome prompts Orillia Matters to reflect on its editorial processes and improve coverage of topics impacting marginalized communities in Canada, especially Palestinian Canadians.

Lastly, the CJPME team remains 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 article usefully juxtaposes Israeli claims with remarks from the UN that attacks on first responders has reduced aid to “a trickle.” Too often Israeli claims are taken at face value, allowing them to get away with what are later revealed to be outright lies.

"The whole letter essentially conflates pro-Palestinian advocacy with terrorism from beginning to end. This is a form of anti-Palestinian racism designed to conflate advocacy for Palestinian human rights by defaming protesters as terrorist threats and sympathizers. This kind of rhetoric is harmful, racist and should never have been published in its current form. Orillia Matters should be held accountable for amplifying it."

"Thank you for bringing attention to the resilience of Palestinians despite Israel’s occupation of the Gaza Strip and its ongoing genocide. We encourage you to continue highlighting their stories and the brutal realities they are enduring."

Before October 7^th, ongoing violence by Israeli settlers was a daily reality in occupied Gaza. Israel turned occupied Gaza into the world’s largest open-air prison, posing severe limitations on its military and economy. This vital context is frequently omitted from Canadian media, framing Palestinians as the aggressors and starting the narrative from October 7th.

Even if one accepts the notion that Israel was on the “defensive” for a single day, the criteria for labeling subsequent actions as a counteroffensive must be questioned, especially in light of the ICJ's ruling on the plausibility of genocide. Ultimately, continuing to use this type of language editorializes the situation for your readers in a way that takes a side and undermines impartiality.

"This is not merely an Israeli “counteroffensive” on the occupied Gaza Strip. Israel has been waging a year of genocide. Please name it as such, or at the very least, refrain from perpetuating euphemistic language that downplays Israel’s one-year of brutal attacks and violence on Gaza."

On October 7, 2024,  CJPME sent a letter to The Globe and Mail and Canadian Press (CP) to address concerns about the misleading language used in the CP article titled: “Events, protests to be held across Canada to mark one year since Oct. 7 attacks, Israel-Hamas war.”

In the article, the journalist referred to Israel’s year-long campaign of genocide as a “counter-offensive.” CJPME argued that labeling Israel’s genocidal actions as a “counter-offensive” is not just misleading; it is an egregious euphemism that journalists should avoid, especially since the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the world’s highest court, has indicated that Israel's actions could plausibly constitute genocide.

In the first edit of the article, the phrasing was changed to “the attack triggered a retaliatory Israeli offensive.” In a subsequent revision, CP altered the entire paragraph, stating that the events triggered a “region-wide conflict between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, as well as Iran and other allies.”

These changes represent a step forward in our advocacy efforts to hold outlets accountable and emphasize the importance of accurate reporting and pushing the narrative on the escalations in the region to a higher standard.