Efforts by pro-Palestinian activists yield results

Actions by pro-Palestinian activists in Canada resulted in the reinstatement of a video on the website for CTV, Canada's largest commercial television network. The video featured Phyllis Bennis of the Institute for Policy Studies and US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation steering committee member, who discussed Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' statehood bid at the United Nations.

When the issue of Palestinian statehood and UN recognition finally came to the United Nations, CTV invited Bennis to comment. She watched Abbas address the General Assembly at the CTV studio, and went on the air live moments after his speech. As usual, her comments were framed by international law, human rights and equality, focusing on the 20-year-long failure of the U.S.-backed “peace process,” Israel’s continuing violations of the Geneva Conventions and other international obligations of an occupying power, and the centrality of the United Nations. 

 Shortly after her live interview, the B’nai Brith of Canada launched a public campaign against CTV, urging their supporters call the network to say that “biased reporting against Israel is unacceptable,” despite their inability to identify a single error of fact. In response, CTV removed the interview from their website, replacing it with an interview with the head of B’nai Brith who views Israel’s occupation as completely acceptable.

But following an immediate push-back by a number of Canadian organizations, including Canadian Friends of Sabeel, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East and others, CTV quickly restored the on-line version of Phyllis’ commentary.  Watch the Video