As anti-Israel mobs harass children sitting with Santa Claus, violently disrupt shoppers at malls while uttering violent threats in front of police officers, and proclaim support for terrorism in public demonstrations, a recent CBC News article attempted to reframe the debate altogether, positioning pro-Palestinian activists as victims of what is characterized as a shadowy pro-Israel conspiracy to suppress free expression.

The December 22 article entitled: “’Chilling effect’: People expressing pro-Palestinian views censured, suspended from work and school,” was published by none other than Brishti Basu, a reporter who has been named in four separate HonestReporting Canada alerts (see here, here, here and here) over the last two months for her sub-standard reporting on the Israel-Hamas conflict. Basu was also a signatory in the notorious 2021 anti-Israel letter by a group of reporters, which called for more pro-Palestinian content in the news media.

Basu’s latest article, which was slammed as “a remarkably tendentious piece” by Globe & Mail columnist Andrew Coyne, made no distinction between those who express pro-Palestinian viewpoints and those who make statements supporting violence against Israelis. In her article, Basu cited one medical resident who was suspended by the University of Ottawa for posting comments including “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” a phrase which refers unambiguously to the destruction of Israel, though Basu only told readers “its meaning and use is more complicated,” linking to an article she had previously written which whitewashed the hateful slogan.

Another alleged victim, Zahraa Al-Akhrass, a reporter whose employment was terminated by Global News for her anti-Israel social media activity, was described by Basu as having “expressed solidarity with Palestinians,” citing a few of her social media posts, including “thanking climate activist Greta Thunberg for expressing support for Palestinians…”

Basu conveniently ignored some of Al-Akhrass’ more hateful posts, including ones where she referred to Israeli soldiers as “ racist, brutal occupiers who are hungry for Palestinian blood” and that “Zionism is Nazism,” comparing the Jewish movement of self-determination to Hitler’s Germany which according to the IHRA Definition of Antisemitism is Jew hatred by comparing Israelis to the Nazis.

She also talked about how “CBC and other media have similar limits (social media guidelines) on employees’ use of social media,” failing to mention how Basu herself has been criticized for her anti-Israel Twitter posts.

Basu also reported: “Al-Akhrass’s social media activity ranges from thanking climate activist Greta Thunberg for expressing support for Palestinians on X to quoting Israeli Defence Minister Yaov Gallant’s reference to Palestinians as ‘human animals’ on her Instagram story — a post that disappears in 24 hours — and criticizing Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s comment stating there are ‘no innocents’ in the Gaza Strip.”

With respect to Gallant, he was clearly referring to the Hamas terrorists who butchered 1,200 innocent Israelis and who took 240 hostages on October 7. He was not referring to everyday Palestinians. As well, there is no evidence that Herzog ever made such a comment. In fact, Herzog is quoted as saying literally the opposite, that “there are many, many innocent Palestinians who don’t agree” with Hamas’ actions. HonestReporting Canada previously prompted the Globe and Mail to retract this false quotation attributed to Israel’s President and CBC is duty bound to retract this false quote platformed by Basu as well.

Basu’s article thus whitewashed hateful statements made under the guise of being “pro-Palestinian,” and those who posted them as hapless victims. Basu also took pains to write that “None of the lawyers who spoke with CBC News had been notified of similar cases relating to expressions of support for Israel.”

Whatever research Basu did for her article, it was clearly far from thorough. Medical professionals who have expressed pro-Israel views have faced significant backlash for expressing their opinions, including McMaster University investigating a cardiologist for her social media posts – which she removed – and a campaign against hundreds of Jewish doctors in Toronto which has resulting in them being called in for meetings with hospital administrators, creating a “chilling effect,” according to one doctor.

But Basu said nothing about these incidents, leaving readers with the false impression that only those expressing “pro-Palestinian” views – even when they are hateful towards Israel – face consequences for their actions.

Basu left no room for ambiguity as to the culprit behind this campaign. 

She mentioned a Facebook group of Jewish physicians in Canada naming signatories to a November anti-Israel open letter, and a Jewish organization in Toronto which she claims has attempted to stifle all pro-Palestinian opinions in public schools.

Basu’s article, both through the topic it pursues and the active minimization of hateful viewpoints as merely “pro-Palestinian,” leaves readers with an unmistakeable impression that it is actively pursuing an agenda to promote the cause of anti-Israel activists. Even children are taught that actions have consequences, but Basu’s article posits that when pro-Palestinian activists take actions, the consequences they face are unfair, and the result of a shadowy pro-Israel conspiracy to thwart any dissent.

As with her previous reporting, this article, in our view, violated the CBC’s Journalistic Standards and Practices and corrective action must be undertaken by our public broadcaster.

HonestReporting Canada has filed a complaint with CBC News and we encourage you to send complaints to CBC Editor-In-Chief Brodie Fenlon at: Brodie.Fenlon@cbc.ca