On September 7, Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a 250 page report on Israel’s conduct during the 2006 Second Lebanon War, shortly after publishing a lengthy publication on Hezbollah’s behavior.  HRW Executive Director Ken Roth also visited Israel to publicize the report ‘Why They Died: Civilian Casualties in Lebanon during the 2006 War’

This publication followed HRW’s familiar pattern of disproportionate and distorted criticism of Israel. Footnotes and text show almost exclusive reliance on unreliable eyewitness testimony, and the clear evidence of Hezbollahs’ use of human shields is ignored while HRW claims, without credibility, that the facts are inconclusive and yet ‘further investigation’ is necessary.

The report includes a number of specific responses to NGO Monitor’s detailed exposure of HRW claims and biases during the Second Lebanon War.  (Professor Gerald Steinberg published extensive op-eds in Ma’ariv and the Jerusalem Post; and in the immediate aftermath of the report, NGO Monitor joined Israeli government officials in noting the failures of HRW’s methodology).  NGO Monitor issued an updated analysis and rebuttal of HRW claims against Israel, and is in the process of formulating a comprehensive analysis of the latest report.