Critics argued that a ‘review’ of the CPJ database mirrors Israel’s ‘Legitimization Cell,’ which is tasked with justifying the mass killing of journalists
Reposted from The Cradle, July 2, 2026
On 1 July, the Board of Directors of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) voted to uphold its definition of a journalist, rejecting claims that a “review” of its database was intended to lift protections for Palestinian and Lebanese media workers killed by the Israeli military.
The board said its policy remains unchanged and continues to recognize journalists working for state-backed outlets or media affiliated with armed groups, provided they are not involved in combat or inciting imminent violence.
CPJ Chair Jacob Weisberg dismissed allegations that the organization sought to remove slain Palestinian and Lebanese journalists from its records, warning that such claims undermine years of documentation and place reporters covering events on the ground at greater risk.
The board also reaffirmed its support for CPJ staff documenting attacks on journalists. “The board stands fully with the staff of CPJ, whose difficult daily work of documenting attacks on journalists is today more important than ever, and with all journalists wrongly smeared and maligned for doing their jobs,” he stated.
The decision comes days after the controversial removal of board member Dr Nika Soon-Shiong on 29 June
Soon-Shiong linked her abrupt departure to her challenging the board to hold a formal vote on redefining “who is a journalist.”
I have been informed that I’m no longer a member of the Committee to Protect Journalists board. Below is the email I sent the board last night. pic.twitter.com/jWCIMCOpf7
— Dr. Nika Soon-Shiong (@nikasoonshiong) June 29, 2026
While the CPJ officially claimed her five-year term had simply concluded, her removal occurred immediately after she went public with concerns that the organization was folding under political pressure to strip protections from Palestinian reporters.
Prior to her departure, Soon-Shiong publicly opposed the proposal, and said that the very act of reopening the question of “who is a journalist” following external political pressure from pro-Israel groups was in itself a “betrayal to our colleagues in Gaza who have faced the deadliest conflict for journalists ever recorded,” adding that “baseless accusations will become more common, not less, CPJ must strive to rise above the fray.”
She highlighted a glaring double standard within the organization. While Palestinian and Lebanese journalists working for “state-backed” outlets faced potential exclusion, western and Israeli journalists – including those who have served directly in the Israeli military – remain protected without scrutiny.
On 25 June, the CPJ announced the “full review” of its database of journalists killed during the Israeli genocide of Palestinians in Gaza after “militant groups Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad published obituaries identifying as combatants individuals previously listed by CPJ as journalists.”
Following the review, 20 Palestinian journalists were removed from CPJ’s count, bringing CPJ’s official tally of journalists killed by Israel down to 209, well below figures by other institutions such as the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate, which places the number at over 270 for comparison.
The push to reconsider these long-standing definitions originated from sustained external pressure.
In late May, outlets like the Washington Free Beacon attacked the CPJ board, specifically targeting Soon-Shiong for her vocal opposition to apartheid and her recognition of the war in Gaza as a genocide.
Soon-Shiong noted that the proposal to exclude journalists from “militant-affiliated organizations” emerged as a direct response to these pro-Israel “hit pieces.”
Palestinian writer Mohammed el-Kurd condemned the move as a “cowardly witch-hunt” designed to appease right-wing interests and reinforce Israel’s justifications for killing journalists.
Critics pointed out that this review mirrored the tactics of the Israeli military’s “Legitimization Cell,” a special unit tasked with finding information to “whitewash” the targeted assassinations of media crews in Gaza.
The Cradle is an online news magazine covering the geopolitics of West Asia from within the region.
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