On September 23, CBC Radio’s World Tonight program aired a highly misleading segment in which host Susan Bonner, while reporting on the recent closure of the Allenby Crossing between Jordan and Judea and Samaria (the “occupied West Bank” in CBC parlance), failed to mention critical context that the crossing was shut down following a terrorist attack in which a Jordanian truck driver transporting humanitarian aid destined for Gaza shot and murdered two Israeli soldiers.
Anchor Susan Bonner stated the following only: “Israel’s military is closing the border post between Jordan and the occupied West Bank. The Allenby Crossing is an international gateway for Palestinians. The measure could bar thousands of travellers from getting in and out.”
By omitting this critical context, CBC portrayed the decision by Israel to shut down the border as an act of cruelty towards Palestinian civilians in Gaza, rather than the truth of it being a defensive measure to protect its citizens.
Accordingly, HRC filed a complaint directly with CBC News, emphasizing that an on-air clarification was necessary to accurately explain Israel’s actions and to ensure Canadians were not misled.
We are pleased to report that on September 25, CBC aired a follow-up report that clearly explained the reason behind Israel’s decision to temporarily close the border crossing, which was implemented as a necessary security measure to safeguard innocent Israelis.
Click below to listen to the audio:
The report stated the following:
“Israel will reopen the major crossing between Jordan and the occupied West Bank to passenger traffic tomorrow morning. The crossing had been closed twice in the past week. The first time was last Friday after a truck driver bringing aid from Jordan to Gaza killed two Israeli soldiers at the border. It reopened, but closed again on Tuesday without explanation. The gateway is the main thoroughfare for Palestinians in the West Bank to travel abroad. It’s also a major pathway for aid going from Jordan to Gaza.”
We thank CBC News for its prompt response in taking corrective action and setting the record straight.
