Article accuses pro-palestinian protests of being anti-semitic
"The protests are indeed targeting the actions and ongoing occupation of the Palestinian people by the Israeli government. However, they are not targeting Jewish Canadians. It would be similar to saying that the protests against the apartheid regime of the South Africa governments were targeting the citizens of South Africa and not the National Party government."
Read moreBlatant and dehumanizing double standards in recent article about alleged antisemitism on campuses
"Why do you emphasize the fact that calls for an end to the “conflict” and illegal occupation can be “interpreted as calls to ethnically cleanse the Middle East of Jews” but do not emphasize the fact that conflict and illegal occupation of Palestinian lands are widely interpreted as the current ethnic cleansing of Palestinians?"
Read moreIgnoring first ask for a fair and accurate description of the keffiyeh, Toronto Star describes it as “Black-and-white scarves” in latest article
“Black-and-white scarves” is a term extensively used in racist context on social media. On X (formerly Twitter), a search for the phrase pulls up innumerable tweets of far-right individuals, such as this one, using the phrase in highly racist remarks. The mistake to use the phrase by Toronto Star is almost certainly accidental, but we would strongly advise against its use, as it serves as a dog whistle
Read moreThe West Bank is occupied and should be referred to as such
To maintain factual accuracy under international law, “occupied” should precede any occupied territory mentioned in your articles. Thus, please edit your paragraph to read “occupied West Bank.”
Read moreOmission of casualty counts and misrepresentation of "intifada"
"While you do acknowledge the meaning of the word as “shaking of oppression,” you frame intifada in terms of violence. Such framing is highly reductive, as intifadas were not solely characterized by violence but were multifaceted social and political movements involving a wide range of tactics (largely peaceful)."
Read moreNakba marks the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, not their "mass displacement"
"I would, therefore, recommend editing the sentence to the following: 'The Nakba marks the ethnic cleansing and forced expulsion of Palestinians from their land to establish the State of Israel in 1948.' At the very least, please replace 'mass displacement' with 'forced expulsion'."
Read moreArticle fails to provide context about pro-palestine protest
This article failed to explain the underlying context of the protests, leaving readers without a clear understanding of the demonstrators' motives. Merely labeling the protests as a "demonstration about the war between Israel and Hamas" fails to clarify who the protestors are, their specific demands, or the reasons behind their street blockades.
Read moreThank you for article that assigns responsibility to Israel
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.
Read moreToronto Star and the Waterloo Region Record publish CJPME letters to the editor
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.
Re: “For Jews in Canada, every day feels like Al-Quds Day”
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.
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