The Media Accountability Project  

"Your reporting on the matter has a very narrow scope since there is no mention of the effect that these reforms will have on the lives of millions of Palestinians vis-à-vis the unchecked expansion of illegal Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land, in which the courts play a central role. This has been the case in more or less all of the recent segments I’ve heard aired by CBC about protests in Israel."

"The article addresses the opposition by army reservists of Israel’s judicial overhaul and the threat it poses to Israeli “democracy.” The article, however, fails to mention the Palestinian people who have never been afforded such “democracy.” This results in a one-sided report."

By referring to Palestinian citizens of Israel as “Israel’s Arab minority,” you downplay the Palestinian identity of the vast majority of the members of their group and their connection with the land, suggesting that they are indistinguishable from Arabs elsewhere in the Middle East and North Africa.

"On the contrary, of the 6.8 million Palestinians under Israeli rule, only a small minority of them (1.6 million) hold Israeli citizenship and have the right to vote in national elections (albeit with a second-class status and significant restrictions). The remaining 5.2 million Palestinians under Israeli military occupation in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza, have no right to vote for the government that rules them."

While I applaud Ms. Stein’s efforts to discuss how Israel’s political crisis impacts Palestinians, it just goes to show the importance of featuring Palestinian voices in these discussions. TVOntario's viewers will benefit tremendously from hearing directly from Palestinians about how these reforms are affecting them, both inside and outside of Israel's existing borders. I would be happy to help connect you with relevant guests in the future.

I appreciate your coverage of Netanyahu’s decision to delay his coalition’s judicial reforms in response to recent protests and strikes in the country. I also appreciate that you called attention to Israel’s far-right National Security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir who stated publicly that the reforms will pass. However, there is critical context that you’ve failed to include in your news segment.

The reason that the far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir agreed to this legislative pause, rather than resign from the coalition, was in return for a commitment from Netanyahu to establish a “national guard” under Ben-Gvir’s control, which many are calling a “militia.”

"I am asking that you consider having a follow-up episode on the issue of the private militia.  As Canadians, it is important that we hear the voices and perspectives of Palestinian citizens of Israel as well as  Palestinians living under occupation in East Jerusalem, Gaza and the West Bank.  They have a lot to fear from a private militia under Ben-Gvir’s control."

I insist that you update your article to note that Netanyahu agreed to establish a ‘national guard’ under Ben-Gvir as part of the compromise. Further, your reporting should also note the extremist, ultranationalist background of Itamar Ben-Givr, and the threat that his militia force poses to Palestinian citizens of Israel.

Your article omits a widely reported, key fact in Netanyahu’s decision to pause its legislative agenda. The reason that the far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir agreed to this legislative pause was in return for a commitment from Netanyahu to establish a “national guard” under Ben-Gvir’s control. Without this context, your readers are missing key information that explains how this postponement came to be.

"Haaretz quotes the human rights group Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) in describing the national guard as "a private, armed militia that would be directly under Ben-Gvir's control,” and warns that “this is a police force that will first and foremost act in mixed cities, first and foremost against the Arab population [read: Palestinian citizens of Israel].”"