In a report headlined "Israeli refugees on the rise," Toronto Star immigration and diversity reporter Nicholas Keung described Israelis seeking asylum in Canada as "Jewish settlers from the former Soviet Union."
By calling people who immigrated to Israel "settlers," Keung seems to imply that Israel is a "settlement," with a tenuous claim to any of its land — whether Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa or Eilat. This choice of language misleads Canadian readers.
This isn’t the first time HonestReporting Canada has encountered problems with the Canadian media’s inappropriate use of the term "settlers."
On July 12, Radio-Canada’s flagship news program, Le Telejournal, described Canadian Jews immigrating to Israel as "nouveaux colons," or "new settlers." To view the Radio-Canada report click here.
After scores of HonestReporting Canada’s members sent letters of complaint, Radio-Canada made a rare on-air correction during Le Telejournal’s August 4 broadcast.
To view the Radio-Canada correction, click here.
HonestReporting Canada has contacted editors at the Toronto Star requestion a correction. We’ll keep you updated.
