HRW Continues to Promote Hamas Narrative on Gaza Border Violence
On June 13, 2018, Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a press statement accusing Israel of “apparent war crimes in Gaza” during the weekly Hamas-orchestrated violence along the border.
International NGOs
International NGOs should work toward the goal of ensuring human rights for all citizens, everywhere. Instead, many disproportionately focus on allegations of Israeli violations and use their power and funding to promote a distorted narrative of the Arab-Israeli conflict.
HRW Doubles Down on BDS Campaign Targeting Israeli Banks
On May 28, 2018, Human Rights Watch issued yet another publication targeting Israeli banks. These materials are part of HRW’s continuing role in a broader BDS campaign to damage Israel’s economy through the financial sector.
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The Gaza Riots and HRW’s Immoral Anti-Israel Obsession on Twitter
Between May 13-16, 2018, Human Rights Watch (HRW) employees tweeted excessively about the violence along the Gaza border, with their tweets almost exclusively condemning Israel’s right to defend its borders, belittling the violence, and making various politically driven statements
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After Work Visa Cancelled, HRW Falsely Denies BDS and Demonization Promotion
The Israeli Ministry of Interior has revoked the work visa granted in April 2017 to Human Rights Watch (HRW) employee Omar Shakir, a long-time anti-Israel, pro-BDS activist. In its response, HRW (and its local lawyer, Michael Sfard) makes the false claim that “neither HRW – nor Shakir as its representative – advocate for boycott, divestment or sanctions against companies that operate in the settlements, Israel or Israelis (sic).”
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Human Rights Watch on Violent Hamas Border Riot: Promoting Terrorist Propaganda at Expense of Human Rights
On April 3, 2018, Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued an “analysis” of the March 30, 2018 events along the Israel-Gaza border. Like other HRW responses, this latest publication lacks credible methodology and manipulates the presentation of facts and law to advance a political narrative rather than engage in professional human rights research.
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Singling Out Israel While Whitewashing Terrorism: Watchlist’s 2018 Policy Note
In March 2018, the NGO umbrella group known as Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict (Watchlist) published a Policy Note urging the UN Secretary General to add Israel, Myanmar, and others to a list of “grave violators” of children’s rights. Terror groups, including Hamas and Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), are not mentioned in Watchlist’s publication.
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World Health Organization and NGOs Misrepresent State of Gaza Health
On February 13, 2018, Human Rights Watch (HRW), along with Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, Amnesty International, Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP), and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHR-I), issued a joint statement condemning Israel’s procedures for granting access for Gaza residents to Israel for medical treatment. The groups cite a December 2017 World Health Organization (WHO) document that claims that 54 Gazans died while awaiting approval to travel to seek medical attention in Israel or in the West Bank. The WHO paper does not provide a source for this figure.
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Factually Inaccurate and Legally Flawed: HRW’s 2017 Report
Human Rights Watch is a powerful NGO, with a massive budget, close links to Western governments, and significant influence in international institutions. Its publications reflect the absence of professional standards, research methodologies, and military and legal expertise, as well as a deep-seated ideological bias against Israel. HRW’s review of “Israel and Palestine: Events of 2017,” reflects these same methodological flaws, resulting in a highly skewed representation of Israeli domestic and international law.
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NGO Campaigns for Ahed Tamimi, and Against the Rights of Children
A number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have been participating in a campaign celebrating and defending Tamimi. Despite the video evidence, they insist that Israel has no grounds for trying and imprisoning her. Although these NGOs claim to promote human rights and the rule of law generally, and protect the rights of children specifically, in Ahed Tamimi’s case they ignore the exploitation and recruitment of children as “soldiers” in a propaganda war against Israel.
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Al Jazeera Joins the Anti-Israel Child Campaign
On December 15, 2017, AJ+ – part of the Al Jazeera network – posted a video on its Twitter, that was also widely disseminated in an offensive tweet by Human Rights Watch Executive Director Ken Roth, alleging that Israel “systematically harasses and abuses Palestinian kids.” The video parrots blatantly false and/or misleading claims by non-governmental organization (NGO) regarding Israel’s treatment of Palestinian minors, and goes so far as to claim that Israel has no reason to arrest minors (0:27) – regardless of the fact that some minors are perpetrators of violent terror attacks, including murder.