Filling in the Blanks: Documenting Missing Dimensions in UN and NGO “Investigations” of the Gaza Conflict

Index

June 2015 UNHRC Report
          UN Resources
NGO Monitor Reports and Publications
Correspondence
          Op-Eds
          NGO Monitor in the Media
          Further Reading

On July 8, 2014, Israel launched Operation Protective Edge in response to rocket fire from Hamas in Gaza. The stated purpose of the operation is to seek out and destroy Hamas terrorist infrastructure, including tunnels running beneath the border into Israel.

Throughout the conflict, highly politicized Israeli, Palestinian, and international NGOs have been issuing numerous statements condemning Israel. The NGOs make unverifiable claims, distort international law, and continue to fuel the flames of the international delegitimization campaign against Israel.

As with the discredited 2009 Goldstone process, NGOs initiated calls for a UN “fact-finding” investigation of the conflict and submitted statements to the UN that alleged “deliberate, systematic, and widespread targeting of Palestinian civilians”; “collective punishment”; “war crimes and crimes against humanity”; “grave violations of international humanitarian law,” etc.

These accusations were echoed in the UN Human Rights Council’s resolution to create another Goldstone-like inquiry of Israeli conduct. NGOs’ significant influence in diplomatic frameworks and in the media is made possible by funding from European governments and private donors, including George Soros’ Open Society Foundation and the New Israel Fund (NIF).

June 2015 UNHRC Gaza Inquiry

Filling in the Blanks: Documenting Missing Dimensions in UN and NGO Investigations of the Gaza Conflict, publication of NGO Monitor and UN Watch, Edited by Gerald M. Steinberg and Anne Herzberg, June 2015

See also press release, “Report Fills Gaps in UN’s Investigation of Gaza Conflict,” June 9, 2015

Par for the Course: EU- & NIF-Funded NGOs Central to UNHRC Lawfare Attack, NGO Monitor Report, June 22, 2015

UN Report on Gaza: Improvement over Goldstone, but NGO Reliance Hurts Credibility, NGO Monitor press release, June 22, 2015

Analysis: Another Outrageously Flawed Gaza Report, Gerald Steinberg, The Tower, June 23, 2015

The U.N.’s Gaza Report is Flawed and Dangerous, Richard Kemp, The New York Times, June 25, 2015

Analysis: UN Report Cherry-Picks Evidence to Fit NGOs’ Anti-Israel Narrative, Yona Schiffmiller, The Tower, June 25, 2015

How the UN Report Shot Itself and Human Rights in the Foot, Gerald Steinberg, i24 News, June 30, 2015

The 2014 Gaza Conflict: Factual and Legal Aspects, Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, May 2015

The 2014 Gaza War: The War Israel Did Not Want and the Disaster It Averted, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, 2015

High Level International Military Group Letter to Judge Mary McGowan Davis, UN Watch blog, May 31, 2015

Preliminary Analysis of UN Board of Inquiry Summary Regarding 2014 Gaza Conflict, NGO Monitor Analysis, April 28, 2015

Ahead of UN Report on 2014 Gaza War, Multinational Mission of Generals Finds: “Israel not only met but significantly exceeded international legal standards”, UN Watch press release, June 12, 2015

UN Resources

NGO Monitor and UN Watch in Geneva: UNHRC Inquiry into 2014 Gaza Conflict

Written statement by the Amuta for NGO Responsibility to UNHRC: European Funding for NGOs that Falsify History of the 2014 Gaza War, August 31, 2015

Written statement submitted by the Amuta for NGO Responsibility to UNHRC: New Report on the 2014 Gaza Conflict Highlights Deficiencies in UN Fact Finding Mechanisms, June 8, 2015

Letter to UN Sec-Gen Regarding 2015 Report on Children and Armed Conflict, June 8, 2015

Written statement submitted by the Amuta for NGO Responsibility to UNHRC: Investigation of the appointment of William Schabas and the conduct of the 2014 Gaza Commission of Inquiry, February 27, 2015

Written statement submitted by the Amuta for NGO Responsibility to UNHRC: Lack of Military Expertise Seriously Impairs UNHRC Fact-Finding, February 20, 2015

Regarding the Legal Opinion Requested by Bureau of the Human Rights Council on William Schabas, February 23, 2015

NGO Monitor Submission to the UN Human Rights Council Commission of Inquiry on the 2014 Gaza Conflict, January 30, 2015

Written statement submitted by the Amuta for NGO Responsibility to UN Human Rights Council: HRC Gaza Inquirty Must Conform to International Fact-Finding Standards, August 28, 2014

Written statement submitted by the Amuta for NGO Responsibility to UN Human Rights Council: Palestinian Exploitation of Children as Weapons of War, August 28, 2014

Written statement submitted by the Amuta for NGO Responsibility to UN Human Rights Council: Issues Related to UNOCHA’s “Protection Cluster” Regarding Gaza, August 28, 2014

NGO Monitor Reports and Publications on Operation Protective Edge

NGO Statements on Kidnappings and Murders, June 18, 2014 (updated July 2, 2014)

Many NGOs that claim a human rights mandate have remained silent regarding the kidnappings and murders of the three Israeli teenagers, while most NGOs that have released statements have created an artificial balance by also criticizing Israel and/or blaming Israel.

B’Tselem’s Callous and Tasteless Campaign on the Kidnapping Operation, June 24, 2014

Given B’Tselem’s politicized claims and campaigns, which do not adhere to universal human rights principles, it is no surprise the Israeli public questions B’Tselem’s credibility.

The Murder of Israeli Teens IS a Human Rights Violation, July 1, 2014

NGO Monitor joins the families, citizens of Israel, the Jewish people, and their supporters in mourning the deaths of Naftali Fraenkel, Gilad Shaar, and Eyal Yifrach.

NGO Statements on Violence Before Operation Protective Edge, July 7, 2014

During the week following the murders of the three Israeli teenagers (up until the beginning of Operation Protective Edge), political advocacy NGOs have released statements ignoring Palestinian attacks against Israeli civilians, distorting Israel’s legitimate right to self-defense, and presenting an inaccurate and biased narrative of Israeli aggression and sole responsibility.

Analysis of NGO Agendas and Distortions on the Gaza Conflict, July 9, 2014 (updated July 22, 2014)

As in previous rounds of the Arab-Israeli conflict, political NGOs have issued numerous unfound statements condemning Israel. These statements make unverifiable claims, distort international law, and in at least one of the cases include language of blood libel.

NGO Statements to the UNHRC Following Israeli Teenagers’ Kidnapping, July 15, 2014

The vast majority of NGOs that appeared before the UN Human Rights Council session on July 23 condemned alleged Israeli war crimes and called for a Goldstone-like investigation into the current conflict.

Dr. Mads Gilbert: Exploiting Medicine for Propaganda and Hate, July 15, 2014

Highlighting Mads Gilbert’s background of ideological extremism, NGO Monitor reminds journalists and others of his radical political and ideological biases. Gilbert is currently in Gaza promoting anti-Israel propaganda.

B’Tselem’s Expanding Credibility Gap, July 16, 2014 (Updated July 17, 2014)

Following Hagai El-Ad’s appointment to head B’Tselem, the NGO’s unsupported factual and legal claims have multiplied, further reducing credibility.

Political NGOs Push for Another “Goldstone” Pseudo-Investigation, July 17, 2014

NGOs have renewed their campaign of political warfare against Israel, calling for UN and international “fact-finding missions” to investigate alleged Israeli “war crimes”.

The Holes in Brian Lurie’s Defense of NIF-Funded Political NGOs, July 22, 2014

NGO Monitor deconstructs the claims of the president of the New Israel Fund, who defends Israeli human rights organizations and their recent statements condemning IDF responses to terror attacks from Gaza.

NGOs and UN Arab Bloc Team-Up for Next “Goldstone Mission”, July 22, 2014

On July 23, the UN Human Rights Council, in partnership with NGOs, held a special session on the conflict in Gaza and will vote to create another immoral “Goldstone” pseudo-investigation.

Israeli NGOs Behind “Goldstone 2”, July 23, 2014

As with the Goldstone process, a network of powerful political advocacy NGOs claiming to promote human rights, including a number of Israeli groups, have been active in campaigning for a UN “investigation” into the current conflict. Israeli NGOs repeat unsupported allegations of “deliberate, systematic, and widespread targeting of Palestinian civilians”; “collective punishment”; “war crimes and crimes against humanity”; “grave violations of international humanitarian law,” and similar claims. Such allegations are central in efforts to justify international intervention and unprofessional UN reports.

NGO Statements to UNHRC Session Creating Another “Goldstone”, July 24, 2014 (updated July 29, 2014)

On July 23, 2014 the UN Human Rights Council convened a special session to discuss Israel’s military operation in Gaza.  Barring a handful of exceptions, UN officials, diplomats (many from dictatorial governments and/or aligned with the Arab bloc), and NGOs all condemned alleged Israeli “war crimes” and denied the legitimacy of its self-defense measures.

Exploiting Human Rights and Political Warfare: Lessons From Goldstone, July 27, 2014

On July 24, 2014, a special event was held at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem to discuss the central role of the NGO political network in the current campaign to repeat the 2009 “Goldstone process.”

The conference, sponsored by NGO Monitor, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs (JCPA), and Menachem Begin Heritage Center, featured a keynote speech by Col. Richard Kemp CBE, and remarks by JCPA President and former UN Ambassador Dore Gold, Col. (res.) Miri Eisin.

Analysis of Medical NGO Agendas and Distortions on the Gaza Conflict, July 28, 2014

Political advocacy NGOs that claim a medical mandate, as well as affiliated individuals, have been active in publicly and falsely condemning Israel’s self-defense measures in Gaza during July 2014.

These NGOs and activists: 1) demonize Israel and use hate speech under the guise of medical expertise and scientific fact; 2) deny Israel’s obligation to defend its citizens; 3) present political analysis, legal declarations, and speculations regarding Israel’s military operations and weaponry, far beyond the scope of any medical expertise they might possess; and 4) promote distorted and false narratives.

Physicians for Human Rights- Israel (PHR-I) Trying to Launch “Medical Fact-Finding Mission”, August 6, 2014

As it did following the 2009 Gaza conflict, Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHR-I) is preparing to send a “medical fact-finding mission” to Gaza…A “medical experts’ independent fact-finding mission” is the first link in a chain of NGO activities meant to indict Israel. The mission’s credibility is null, and the results have been established in advance. Israeli authorities should investigate the identities of doctors, experts, and other activists requesting permits to enter Gaza and should not facilitate investigations by biased and unreliable NGOs.

Amnesty’s Q&A on the Gaza War: Many Questions, Few Answers, August 7, 2014

As with all Amnesty International´s publications on the Arab-Israeli conflict, its Q&A on the “Israel/Gaza conflict, July 2014” contains many methodological flaws, under the façade of legal and military expertise.

William Schabas – Head of the New UN Gaza Commission – and the anti-Israel NGO Network, August 13, 2014

NGO Monitor strongly condemns the appointment of William Schabas to head the new UN Gaza commission, on the basis of his record of anti-Israel biases, including repeated calls for prosecuting Israeli officials for alleged “war crimes” at the International Criminal Court.

The Lancet: A History of Exploiting Medicine for Political Warfare Against Israel, August 17, 2014

NGO Monitor’s research demonstrates that, under Horton’s editorship, The Lancet has become a platform for intense political propaganda, particularly targeting Israel.

Amnesty and HRW Attempt Pseudo-Investigations in Gaza, August 19, 2014

Despite the façade of professionalism and expertise and the “halo” surrounding NGOs, like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, the intended audiences for their current “investigations” – journalists, UN officials, diplomats, and the public – should treat any “conclusions” with the skepticism they deserve.

B’Tselem’s Credibility in the UNOCHA Protection Cluster: Casualty and Legal Allegations in the 2014 Gaza War, August 20, 2014

The Israeli NGO B’Tselem has played a central role in allegations regarding civilian casualties during the 2014 war in Gaza. B’Tselem presents what it terms “initial” and “preliminary” data, but these are inherently unverifiable and based solely on information from Palestinian sources in Hamas-controlled Gaza. As the Israeli member of the UNOCHA NGO “Protection Cluster,” B’Tselem provides the appearance of credulity to the casualty claims disseminated by UNRWA/OCHA officials and repeated widely by journalists, political leaders, and others.

Political, Ideological Approach of Hagai El-Ad at B’Tselem, August 20, 2014

Hagai El-Ad became Executive Director of B’Tselem in June 2014, after six years in that position at the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI). In a blog post written at the end of his tenure at ACRI, he articulated his “hope for civil society in Israel”: “together with an enhanced sense of strength new, bolder strategies will be acted upon, withstanding the to-be-expected backlash. It will take nothing less to impact significant change where current policies most prevent it.”

Authors of Anti-Israel Letter in The Lancet Promote Antisemitic Video by White Supremacist David Duke, September 10, 2014 (see press release here)

Two of the main authors of An Open Letter for the People of Gaza (July 23, 2014), which appeared in The Lancet medical journal in July 2014, promoted a video made by American white supremacist David Duke.

NGO Monitor to The Lancet Editor: Israel Visit Will Not Rehabilitate Shattered Reputation, September 29, 2014

“The trip will not provide Horton immunity from the justifiable moral outrage of Israelis, the Jewish community, and medical professionals,” said Yitzhak Santis, Chief Programs Officer at NGO Monitor.  “Nor will it absolve Horton of his responsibility to correct his politicized, non-scientific editorial distortions.  If he cannot do so, he should resign,” Santis said.

Lancet Editor Richard Horton “Regrets” Gaza Letter’s “Polarizaton”, October 2, 2014

Prof. Horton at Rambam Hospital: “I deeply, deeply regret the completely unnecessary polarization that publication of the letter by Paola Manduca caused.”

European Governments Funding NGO “Documentation” for Lawfare Attacks, NGO Monitor Reports, October 6, 2015

On August 2, 2014, the Ramallah based Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law Secretariat (the “Secretariat”), a funding consortium comprised of the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, and Denmark, announced “emergency funding” to nine non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for use in documenting “large scale violations of human rights and international humanitarian law – the majority against Palestinian civilians and civilian objects” in Gaza.

“Genocide,” “War Crimes,” and “A Historical Mistake: NGO Statements on Israel to the UNHRC’s 27th Session, NGO Monitor Report, September 15, 2014

Emotion, Not Law: A Critical Reading of B’Tselem’s “Black Flag” Report, NGO Monitor Report, February 1, 2015

Throughout the report, B’Tselem proffers interpretations and standards of international humanitarian law that simply do not exist. Either B’Tselem has no understanding of military operations and the pertinent provisions of international law, or it is deliberately attempting to find Israel guilty (or both).

Physicians for Human Rights- Israel Gaza Mission: No Independence, No Facts, No Evidence, NGO Monitor, February 1, 2015

There are numerous methodological flaws and inherent limitations concerning the research, which cast doubt on PHR-I’s ability to draw accurate and independent conclusions.

Preliminary Analysis of UN Board of Inquiry Summary Regarding 2014 Gaza Conflict, NGO Monitor Analysis, April 28, 2015

The public summary of the Board of Inquiry report regarding the 2014 Gaza conflict was published without footnotes or accompanying evidence, making it difficult to assess the conclusions about Israeli actions and culpability.

Europe to Breaking the Silence: Bring Us As Many Incriminating Testimonies as Possible, NGO Monitor Analysis, May 4, 2015

Breaking the Silence´s allegations, which are funded directly and indirectly by foreign governments, do not tally with the recorded testimonies, and are nothing more than an attempt by the NGO to portray the events in line with its political agenda.

Report Fills Gaps in UN’s Investigation of Gaza Conflict, June 9, 2015

In parallel to the forthcoming report of the UN Human Rights Council’s Commission of Inquiry on Gaza, NGO Monitor and UN Watch have prepared an independent, fully-sourced, systematic, and detailed book on issues related to the 2014 Israel-Hamas conflict.

Correspondence

NGO Monitor’s Letter to The Lancet’s parent company, Reed Elsevier Properties, September 1, 2014

It is deeply disturbing that two self-proclaimed human rights activists would share Duke’s racist and antisemitic message. It is all the more alarming that The Lancet would have given such prominence to a letter co-authored by Manduca and Ang who trade in antisemitic conspiracy theories. In light of this new information, we call upon Reed Elsevier Properties to prevail upon The Lancet to take the following steps: retract the “Open Letter,” publicly distance itself immediately from these two physicians, and apologize for publishing their “Open Letter.”

Letter from Dr. Arthur Eidelman to Ombudsman of The Lancet, July 21, 2011

This discussion about quality and reliability of a study which does not meet even the most basic standards of public health and epidemiologic research suggests a failure within the editorial process. It is compounded by the inappropriate pronouncement that these data are consistent with “crimes against humanity”. Judicial analysis is the purview and expertise of proper judicial fora. Such fora are designed to evaluate if data meet the standards of evidence and reliability.  Proper advocacy and defense have to be provided.  A medical Journal lacking this expertise cannot evaluate such serious issues. As ombudsman you must surely believe that it is totally inappropriate for a medical journal such as the Lancet to serve as a platform for such highly charged political conclusions.  Surely to publish a “study” that does not meet even the most minimum scientific standards of a peer reviewed journal, written by an author who has neither medical nor public health expertise, only debases the Lancet standards and reputation as a premier medical journal.

NGO Monitor Op-Eds

Publication of Israeli Soldiers’ Accounts Clouded by Political Agenda, Gerald Steinberg, Brisbane Times, May 9, 2015

Breaking the Silence receives substantial funding from radical Europeans, who link their donations to the number of statements that are collected. The Dutch church organisation ICCO demanded at least 90 incriminating interviews, while Oxfam (which claims to promote a humanitarian agenda) linked funding directly with the provision of “as many interviews as possible” regarding “immoral activities”. These arrangements highlight the clear financial interest in presenting as many negative testimonies as possible.

A Troubling Picture of UN Complicity in Palestinian War Crimes, Anne Herzberg, Ynet, May 4, 2015

While the BOI summary of the 2014 Gaza war lacks transparency, its mandate was generally even-handed, did not declare Israel guilty in advance and, even if unintentionally, refutes the predominant NGO narrative.

Revealed: The Anti-Israel Network Behind UN’s Gaza Investigation, Gerald Steinberg, The Jewish Chronicle, March 13, 2015

In terms of legal ethics, the appropriate decision would be to disband the commission and expose the farcical activities of the UNHRC. In addition, restoring transparency means full disclosure of the staff that is assembling this document, to avoid a repeat of the Baars-Goldstone embarrassment.

Schabas Keeps Demonizing Israel, Despite Ethics Violations, Gerald M. Steinberg, The Canadian Jewish News, March 05, 2015

When Canadian law professor William Schabas was exposed as having omitted a blatant conflict of interest in applying for a UN position, he abruptly resigned as head of the latest commission investigating Israeli “war crimes.” However, he did not slink away quietly in embarrassment, or apologize and ask for forgiveness.

Resignation of Gaza Investigator is Big Blow to Palestinian Lawfare Campaign, Gerald Steinberg, The Jewish Chronicle, February 08, 2015

The sudden resignation of William Schabas, the anti-Israel professor of law who headed the UN investigation into alleged Israeli “war crimes” in the recent Gaza war, has further highlighted the farcical attempts to indict Israel taking place under the façade of international law.

Swan Song for Schabas, Gerald Steinberg, The Jerusalem Post, February 03, 2015

…Schabas has now suddenly resigned after the exposure of his consulting job with the PLO. The failure to disclose this obvious conflict of interest violates one of the basic principles that lawyers are supposed to follow, and highlights the lack of due diligence by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), which selected Schabas. As in many similar cases, the revelation also raises the question of other skeletons that might be hiding in his closet.

Kidnapping, human rights and hypocrisy, Gerald M. Steinberg, The Jerusalem Post, June 17, 2014

“If the powerful human rights community, with its massive resources and immediate access to media and to politicians, would act morally, this would not prevent Palestinian terror attacks, or the kidnappings to trade for the terrorists. But it would remove the hypocrisy from the human rights movement, show Israelis that they count as humans with rights, and perhaps increase the costs for would-be kidnappers. But this imaginary scene depends on a moral and just world, which is far removed from today’s reality.”

What Israel is Allowed to do, Gerald M. Steinberg, The Times of Israel, June 23, 2014

…very little of what human rights NGOs say is grounded in the law or connected to the facts of the situation… The NGOs and their officials are not military experts and are not qualified to address these questions.

There is no “cycle of violence”, Gerald M. Steinberg, The Times of Israel, July 1, 2014

A cycle means symmetry, automatic tit-for-tat, mindless action and reaction, in which all sides, and none, can be held morally responsible.But attack and defense, terror and counter-terror, incitement and fear are not symmetric or morally equivalent.

The Palestinian War on Children, Anne Herzberg, Ynet, July 6, 2014

The depraved exploitation and abuse of children as targets and weapons by Palestinians must end. Yet, they will not end these abominable tactics so long as the UN, members of the international community, and NGOs continue to enable these atrocities.

The Gaza Numbers Game, Anne Herzberg, The Jerusalem Post, July 14, 2014

UN officials’ emotive statements are entirely disconnected from the legal and moral implications of Israel’s actions.

The Goldstone Effect, Gerald M. Steinberg, The Times of Israel, July 20, 2014

Although the entire [Goldstone] report was later discredited, and Judge Goldstone acknowledged that the NGO-based allegations were unsupported, the impact, in terms of fueling boycotts and “lawfare” cases against Israeli officials, continues. [D]uring the current conflict, the same NGOs are again promoting the “war crimes” theme, and this form of the modern anti-Semitic blood libel is repeated in violent protests, particularly in Europe. Nothing seems to have been learned from the mistakes of the past, as these organizations and their funder-enablers continue to erode the very universal principles of human rights that they claim to uphold.

NGOs and the Next ‘Goldstone’ Fiasco, Naftali Balanson, The Jerusalem Post, July 22, 2014

While Israel faces massive terrorist attacks from Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza, there is another, parallel war being waged against it. However, in this “soft power” war, Israel’s enemies do not use bullets, missiles or bombs.

Instead, Israel is being bombarded by a powerful and hostile network of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), which are mass-producing hundreds of “cut and paste” condemnations of Israel. For groups such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch (HRW), and their Israeli and Palestinian NGO allies, the most destructive weapons are false claims of “war crimes” and the rhetoric of international law.

The faux ‘investigations’ of Human Rights Watch, Sarah Garfinkel, JNS News, July 23, 2014

…HRW’s “reports” lack professional standards and research methodologies, and show a deep-seated ideological bias against Israel. HRW possesses neither the military expertise to conduct proper investigations that would lead to their conclusions. The faux-research is then repeated without question in the international media. And every time the allegations are repeated, new rounds of anti-Israel headlines and condemnations are triggered.

Terror Tunnels, Embargoes and Human Rights, Josh Bacon, Ynet, July 27, 2014

Hundreds of rockets fired into Israel and discovery of dozens of underground Gaza tunnels have completely undercut NGOs’ narrative, yet they continue to ignore these inconvenient facts.

How Europe’s Good Intentions Harm Gaza, Gerald M. Steinberg, The Wall Street Journal, July 29, 2014

…Before European statements can be taken seriously in this conflict, Brussels must become a more responsible player by keeping closer watch over whom and what it funds.

How Christian NGOs Fan the Flames of the Mideast Conflict, Yitzhak Santis, The Layman Online, July 31, 2014

Funding groups that support Israel’s destruction, that euphemistically refer to Hamas terrorism as “armed resistance,” that seek to isolate Israel and dehumanize Israelis has brought many Christian charities into the conflict participants.  Until these Christian groups change course, no credence should be given to the claim of their acting on any kind of ethical prophetic voice.

Doctors for Terrorism, Gerald M. Steinberg, Israel Hayom, August 10, 2014 (See Hebrew version here)

The Lancet is a seemingly prestigious medical journal published in London. But behind the respectable façade hides support for Hamas and blood libel against Jews. Editor-in-Chief Richard Horton has long been accused of using medical ethics as a pretext to advance unethical interests, like the publication of the recent “Open letter for the people of Gaza” (July 23, 2014). This letter ignores the Israeli victims of rockets and terror tunnels, and refers to Israel’s defense efforts as war crimes committed “under the pretext of eliminating terrorism.” This is just another example of the deadly campaign that uses the prestige attributed to the medical profession as a weapon of hatred and war.

Schabas is the Perfect Choice for Goldstone 2, Anne Herzberg, The Jerusalem Post, August 18, 2014

Given William Schabas’s anti-Israel record, it is no surprise that he was selected by 65 fringe BDS and lawfare NGOs including Al Haq, Badil, ICAHD, EAFORD, and many Islamic organizations, as the most “capable candidate” to replace Richard Falk as the HRC’s resident Israel-basher.

Jews Abetting Hamas are No Voice for Peace, Yitzhak Santis, JNS.org, August 20, 2014

JVP is part of the international NGO “soft power” war, whose unrelenting attacks on Israel’s right to self-defense ultimately aid Hamas. This global political warfare strategy includes sustained delegitimization campaigns, BDS (boycotts, divestment, and sanctions), and promoting a “right of return” for Palestinians, which means dismantling Israel as a Jewish and democratic state… JVP stands unmasked as anything but a voice for peace.

Exploiting the Holocaust to Attack Israel is Immoral, Gerald M. Steinberg, The Canadian Jewish News, September 11, 2014

While anti-Semitism, in both the traditional religious forms and the modern version of anti-Israel hatred, is very different from Holocaust denial, the two forms of extreme and obsessive hatred are increasingly appearing together… To defeat this immoral political warfare, it’s necessary to name and shame the perpetrates of both hard and soft-core Holocaust denial and denigration. Exploiting the Holocaust as a weapon to attack Israel and the right of the Jewish People to a nation-state like all others in particularly evil.

‘Breaking the Silence’ and Gaza, Gerald Steinberg, The Jewish Journal, September 11, 2014

As IDF soldiers in Gaza were defending Israel, Breaking the Silence mounted its own blitz. The group’s leaders published no less than 10 attacks on the IDF in leading newspapers in Europe and elsewhere around the world, accusing the IDF of “collective punishment,” causing “unreasonable harm to Gazan civilians,” and “functioning as executioners who have lost respect for human life.” …With the help of its European benefactors, Breaking the Silence will still be fighting the political war against Israel long after the military attacks have ended.

Charity that exploits its high reputation for ethical work, Gerald M. Steinberg and Naftali Balanson, The Jewish Chronicle, September 11, 2014

Oxfam, including its board members and donors, should initiate a long-overdue evaluation of its own failings and contributions to conflict. As an organisation purporting to deliver aid in conflict zones and promote human rights, it has a clear, moral obligation to go beyond the simplistic slogans, platitudes and slick campaigns, and examine the implications of its activities.

The Lancet’s Indefensible Defense of Antisemitic David Duke Promoters, Yitzhak Santis, The Times of Israel, September 23, 2014

That these authors have been peddling in antisemitic conspiracy theories is clearly substantiated. But there is no sign that Horton will take the moral step of distancing himself and The Lancet from them, remove the “Open Letter” from The Lancet’s website, and apologize to The Lancet’s readers and the medical community… If he continues this stonewalling, The Lancet’s legacy will be as defenders of the promoters of vile antisemitic bigotry of the worst kind.

Richard Horton’s War on Israel, Gerald M. Steinberg, The Jerusalem Post, September 29, 2014

Some mistakes can be corrected, some crimes can be forgiven, and some apologies can be accepted. But not in this case; damage from chronic and hate-filled political warfare is irreversible. [Editor of The Lancet medical journal Richard] Horton has been irrevocably named and shamed; if he does not resign, it is up to the publisher, the global Reed Elsevier Group, to do the right thing.

Exploiting Medicine for the politics of hate, Eliana Trink, JNS.org, August 14, 2014

The war that Kerry and Indyk began, Gerald M. Steinberg, Israel Hayom, July 16, 2014 (also in Hebrew)

Mirror Imaging: On the Fallacies of Western Peace-making in Gaza, Gerald M. Steinberg, The Times of Israel, August 8, 2014

Human rights NGOs: remembering now to break their silence, Itai Reuveni, NRG, July 14, 2014 (Hebrew)

Prevent “Goldstone 2”, Lena Bakman, NRG, July 24, 2014 (Hebrew)

The humanitarian world is silent on Hamas: How NGOs exploit international law to demonize Israel, Il Foglio, Giovanni Quer, July, 28, 2014 (Italian)

De eenzijdige veroordeling van Israël door NGOs, Jody Sieradzki, August 4, 2014 (Dutch)

Towards “Goldstone 2,” a kangaroo court against Israel, Giovanni Matteo Quer, Il Foglio, August 11, 2014 (Italian)

The silence of NGOs against Hamas, Giovanni Matteo Quer, The Huffington Post France, August 11, 2014 (French)

The Turbulent European Fund, Gilad Segal, Ynet, August 15, 2014 (Hebrew)

El inaceptable silencio del mundo “humanitario” respecto de Hamás o cómo las ONG explotan el derecho internacional con el propósito de demonizar a Israel, Giovanni Matteo Quer, August 17, 2014 (Spanish)

NGO Monitor in the Media

President of NGO Monitor: Gaza embargo necessary to prevent terrorism, interview with Prof. Gerald Steinberg, TLV1, July 18, 2014

Israeli Leader Vows to Intensify Gaza Attacks on Hamas, Steven Erlanger and Isabel Kershner, The New York Times, July 9, 2014

A Maoist in Gaza, Ben Cohen, Commentary Magazine, July 16, 2014

Gaza Response Fuels Debate Over Goals, Stewart Ain, The Jewish Week, July 9, 2014

Elite Israeli Unite Loses 13 in Gaza Battles, Joshua Mitnick, The Wall Street Journal, July 21, 2014

A Norwegian doctor who, from an ideological standpoint, supports terrorism is getting free reign in De Standaard (Dutch), Joods Actueel, July 21, 2014

Why Israeli human rights activists do not think about the suffering of their fellow citizens? (Russian), Zahav. Rh, July 21, 2014

UN: “Israel may violate human rights in Gaza”, Ariel Kahana, NRG, July 23, 2014 (Hebrew)

U.K.’s Independent Posts Gaza Op-Ed by Author Who Supported 9/11 Terror Attacks, The Algemeiner, July 23, 2014

Human Rights Council calls for investigation, Israel fears new “Goldstone”, Al-Hayat, July 23, 2014 (Arabic)

Human Rights Council: investigation against Israel, Idan Yosef, News 1, July 24, 2014 (Hebrew)

India votes ‘against’ its all weather friend Israel in UN when ‘abstain’ option was available, DeshGujarat, July 24, 2014

How Many Lawyers Does It Take to Fight a War?, Suzanne Nossel, Foreign Policy Magazine, July 24, 2014

A supportive British colonel, and a bleak vision of endless costly military operations, David Horovitz, The Times of Israel, July 25, 2014

Al Jazeera Accused of Creating Fake Ceasefire Doc, Fooling Journalist Laura Rozen, The Algemeiner, July 28, 2014

Canadian and Australian Policy on the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict, Rachel Avraham, Foreign Policy, August 4, 2014

Israeli weapons and European hypocrisy, Ami Rojkes Dombe, NRG, August 5, 2014

GRAPEVINE: The extraordinary long arm of coincidence, Greer Fay Cashman, The Jerusalem Post, August 5, 2014

Inquiry head’s attitude to Israel questioned, J-Wire, August 15, 2014

Lancet ‘hijacked in anti-Israel campaign’, Jake Wallis Simons, The Telegraph, September 22, 2014

Leading British medical journal refuses to retract open letter on Gaza written by authors concerned that “Jews control the media, politics and banking”, David Bernstein, The Washington Post, September 22, 2014

Watchdog Group Calls Out ‘The Lancet’ Over Anti-Semitic Video, Conspiracies Its Authors Promoted, September 22, 2014

Lancet Won’t Retract Gaza Letter Over Revelations About Authors, JTA, September 23, 2014

Authors of Lancet Gaza Letter Promote Video of Ex-KKK Leader, Justin Jalil, The Times of Israel, September 24, 2014

Anti-Israel Article’s Authors Promote Video by Former KKK Leader David Duke, JNS.org. September 23, 2014

Jew-Centric Conspiracy Theories: Lancet and Urbana-Champaign Editions, William A. Jacobson, Legal Insurrection, September 22, 2014

Further Reading

The Latest “Breaking the Silence” Report Isn’t Journalism. It’s Propaganda., Matti Friendman, Mosaic Magazine, May 14, 2015

Why the Schabas Report Will be Every Bit as Biased as the Goldstone Report, Hillel Neuer, The Tower, March 2015

Proportionality in the Gaza War: What Do Death Tolls and Missile Attacks in Gaza and Israel (Summer 2014) Tell Us?, Elihu D. Richter MD, MPH, Talya Markus, Alex Burnley and Tamar Pileggi, January 30, 2015