The Media Accountability Project  

It is rare to see, in mainstream media, an article  this honest and direct that clearly assigns responsibility to Israel: Jacob Flickinger is murdered by the Israeli military, Israel is barring relatives of Canadians from exiting Gaza, Canadian-funded aid is denied entry by Israeli authorities.

On April 11, 2024, two different CJPME letters to the editor were published in the Toronto Star and the Waterloo Region Record that challenged problematic op-eds.

In the Toronto Star, Michael Levitt of the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre wrote a piece bashing pro-Palestine protesters on the day of Eid al-Fitr. You can read CJPME’s response here.

In the Waterloo Region Record, Robert Walker of Honest Reporting Canada regurgitated IDF talking points without any real depth or insight. You can read CJPME’s response here.

The conflation of antisemitism and anti-Zionism has real-world consequences. Canadians are losing their jobs for speaking out against genocide precisely because of pressure from pro-Israel lobby groups. No one should face such harsh consequences for opposing the genocide unfolding in Gaza.

It is your journalistic obligation to include voices from the protesters and organizers themselves to balance the record. Please include them. Otherwise, it makes it seem like the protesters were provoking Toronto Police and that its excessive use of force was justified.

To honor them is to know them. Thank you for giving readers a glimpse into the light that floods Gaza and Palestine despite Israel’s vicious attempts at turning the lights off.

Thank you for publishing such an opinion article about the history of Palestine and Palestinians and for reminding the need for the West to give space to it. I hope you will continue to publish such pieces.

"Giving a platform to PACBI and talking about Justice would have been more appropriate as it all starts by recognizing and dismantling Israel’s 76 years of regime."

"Thank you for also pointing out that not only Dr. Thomson's but many other voices for Palestine are being stifled by institutions. I was especially pleased to see the link to your November 24, 2023 article, " A chill has crept into Ontario's health sector..." We can still ask the same question you asked then: "" In what world are doctors saying "stop killing" or "don't bomb hospitals" contradicting their professional, moral, or ethical obligations?" "

"Your framing suggests that Hamas sometimes uses civilian clothing in combat settings, but Israel does not. This is simply not the case. I insist that you correct your article to make clear that there are examples of both Hamas and Israeli fighters engaging in combat in civilian clothing."

While I can sympathize with the horror experienced by the four Canadians you interviewed for this article, good “news” journalism would have taken more care to balance the presentation of reactions to the motion.  As a journalist, it is appropriate to capture the reactions of people who have a personal stake in what happens in Gaza, as you did, for ONE side.