Hundreds of Canadian journalists, professors sign open letter claiming Israel is guilty of 'ethnic cleansing'

Dozens of journalists from various mainstream Canadian media outlets, including the CBC, have signed an open letter calling for the Israel-Hamas conflict to be covered as "ethnic cleansing."

The letter has also been signed by student journalists, filmmakers, and university professors.

The letter calls on Canadian media publications to cover the conflict without needing to "hear both sides," or without excuses such as that "the Middle East is complicated."

"These are just some of the excuses news editors have provided to Canadian journalists trying to cover the escalating violence against Palestinians," the letter writes.

“It’s time for Canadian newsrooms to carry out the necessary due diligence and report on this region with nuance and context. For that to happen, Canadian newsrooms will have to first acknowledge their failings.”

"Our ask is simple: That all the tenets of journalism should apply to Canadian coverage of Occupied Palestinian Territories moving forward. Fair and balanced coverage should include historical and social context, reporters with knowledge of the region and, crucially, Palestinian voices," the letter concludes.

As pointed out by True North's Andrew Lawton, the letter calls for "an adoption of contested and politically charged allegations as fact – "ethnic cleansing", illegal occupation, "state sanctioned racism", "violence against innocent civilians."

The letter has been signed by over 2,000 people at the time of publishing.