The Human-Rights Establishment

Key Findings:

Danielle Haas, a former HRW (Human Rights Watch) editor, provides an in-depth critical analysis of the disproportional obsession with Israel within human rights NGOs, pointing to potential deeper issues in regards to their general transparency, accountability, and representation of truth on all fronts regarding human rights work. The author discusses issues such as finances and donations received that pose a conflict of interest, false or late reporting of news on human rights issues, and corruption within the organizations. 

During her time working for HRW, Haas became aware that the Israel-Palestine chapter  was consistently disproportionate to other countries, even those dealing with severe human rights issues. She points out that the Israel-Palestine chapter is longer than more than 90 percent of other chapters the HRW engages with. After years of trying to receive a clear explanation from her colleagues as to why, she understood that the focus on Israel was due to political and ideological biases within the NGO. Additionally, over the course of her employment at HRW, the author points out that there were no Israel-based Jewish employees that were hired for their Israel-related work.

Haas details the HRW’s response to 7 October, providing examples as to how they failed to properly address and provide space for Hamas’ brutal attack on Israel. Now more than ever, in the wake of the aftermath of 7 October and the Israel-Hamas war, it is clear that Israel is dealt with largely through a biased lens that is not open to objectively assessing facts regarding human rights issues.

Haas concludes by stating how necessary it is that human rights NGOs have their operations investigated, and calls for an end to the corruption that stirs within them. She states: “For too long, human-rights groups have been granted a free pass to serve as society’s watchdogs without first proving they are fit to bark. Opaque, unelected, and largely unaccountable, they must finally be required to descend from their moral mountaintops and demonstrate in their own conduct the accountability and transparency they demand of others.”