Still Waiting for Responses from Amnesty, Al Haq, and Others

Jerusalem – In response to the March 11 terrorist attack in Itamar, in which five family members including a four month-old baby and a three year-old, were stabbed to death in their sleep, a number of Israeli and international NGOs released statements condemning the attack. Numerous prominent NGOs including Amnesty International, Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) and Al-Haq did not release statements condemning the murders, notes Jerusalem-based NGO Monitor.

“NGOs such as B’Tselem, Physicians for Human Rights – Israel (PHR-I), and Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI) issued appropriate statements, unequivocally condemning the brutal attack. They should be recognized for this response,” says Naftali Balanson, managing editor of NGO Monitor. “Superpower NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW), however, equivocated in its statement, referencing attacks against Palestinians by residents of Itamar and repeatedly stating that settlements are illegal. Once again, HRW has shown that it cannot condemn attacks on Israelis without being distracted.”

Balanson adds, “More disappointing is the deafening silence from self-proclaimed Palestinian human rights groups. HRW has touted Al Haq, headed by alleged terrorist Shawan Jabarin, as a ‘leading voice’ regarding attacks against Israelis. But, this voice has not yet been heard.”