Lebanese journalist Sanaa Kanjak expressed her gratitude to the Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Qabas for replacing the term "Israel" with "Zionist entity," following an unintentional mistake made by one of the editors at the media outlet.
Kanjak, known for her opposition to Israel, wrote in her message to the management of Al-Qabas on Twitter, "We take pride in you in a time of betrayal and rushed normalization; you are the ones who insisted on using the true terms regarding Palestine. The mistake of writing the word 'Israel' instead of 'Zionist entity' has been corrected." She added, "This honorable position is not the first of its kind; we have grown accustomed to these noble stances from the sisterly state of Kuwait, with its loyal leaders, its beloved people, and its honorable parliament's support for the Palestinian cause and my homeland Lebanon."
Israeli army spokesperson Avichai Adrai commented sarcastically on the correction made by Al-Qabas, saying, "What is Al-Qabas apologizing for? For the existing truth, which is the state of Israel?" He added, "Adopt the name you want; reality cannot be changed. Continue being preoccupied with the superficial while we continue to address the core issues."
Kanjak responded to Adrai's comment, stating, "No, Adrai! It is not a truth, but your distortion of reality. It is Palestine! An Arab Palestinian land from which you displaced its people through the strength of Zionist gangs, intimidation, and murder!" The Lebanese journalist continued, "Listen, no matter how much you and your media system try to distort the truth and falsify the history of occupied Palestine, you will find my free pen and the pens of the free in Al-Qabas ready to confront you! We will not allow you to usurp Palestine with words and letters as well."
Al-Qabas had issued an apology to its readers for publishing a news item that included the word "Israel," confirming that the inclusion of the term instead of "Zionist entity" was due to an unintentional error. The newspaper stated, "Al-Qabas confirms its pride in its national and Arab identity since its founding statement and will continue to defend the Palestinian cause in every way possible until the last letter."
The term appeared during a report by the Kuwaiti newspaper about the countries leading in COVID-19 vaccinations, with Israel at the top. Many social media users and journalists praised Al-Qabas for its apology, stating that it sends a message emphasizing the dangers of normalization with Israel.
Al-Qabas, established in 1972, is one of the prominent Kuwaiti newspapers advocating for the Palestinian cause and opposing normalization with the occupation.
