CAMERA has prompted correction of a Toronto Star photo caption which grossly inflated the number of Palestinians displaced in the 1948 war. The erroneous caption last week had stated:
The number of Palestinians who were displaced during the 1948 war surrounding Israel’s establishment is estimated at more than five million people.
CAMERA notified editors that, as the accompanying article itself makes clear, this United Nations estimate includes not only those displaced in 1948, but also their descendants. (It also controversially relies on a much broader definition of “refugee” than the UN uses for non-Palestinian refugees, but that’s another matter.)
In fact, an overwhelming majority of the five million are the descendants — children, grandchildren, etc. — of those actually displaced. Estimates vary, but the actual number of Palestinians displaced during that war is closer to 600,000.
Editors promptly corrected the caption, which now states:
The number of Palestinians who were displaced during the 1948 war surrounding Israel’s establishment, along with their descendants is estimated at more than five million people
Editors have also commendably added the following correction to the bottom of the article, noting readers of the change:
Correction: A photo caption accompanying a photo with this article was edited from a previous version to make clear that the number Palestinians displaced during the 1948 war surrounding Israel’s establishment includes their decedents [sic].