Statement on Human Rights Watch Suit Against Israel
HRW appeals the revoking of BDS activist and HRW employee Omar Shakir's work visa.
Omar Shakir
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 Right Watch Targets Israeli Banks for Economic Warfare
As part of its ongoing BDS campaign against Israel, Human Rights Watch published a report and press release targeting Israel banks. This represents HRW’s third major BDS initiative in 2017 alone.
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UN CEIRPP “50 Years of Occupation” Event: BDS, Antisemitism, and Demonization
On June 29-30, 2017, the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP) held a forum to “mark fifty years of Israeli occupation.” As anticipated, the event “Ending the Occupation: Creating the Space for Human Rights, Development and a Just Peace,” featured antisemitic rhetoric, calls for BDS (boycott, divestment, and sanctions), and demonization campaigns against Israel’s existence.
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Omar Shakir: BDS Activist and Human Rights Watch Official
HRW's hiring of Omar Shakir to serve as its "Israel and Palestine Country Director" is unsurprising given its history of employing anti-Israel activists to work on Israel-related issues.