The National Jewish Assembly (NJA) condemns in the strongest terms the forthcoming report from Human Rights Watch (HRW) accusing Israel of genocide. This baseless and inflammatory report is another glaring example of genocide inversion – an appalling distortion that seeks to falsely portray the Jewish state as a perpetrator of the very crimes committed against Jews throughout history.
This report comes on the heels of a similar accusation from Amnesty International, marking a troubling pattern from two demonstrably anti-Israel organisations. Both reports irresponsibly whitewash Hamas’s war crimes while demonising Israel, pushing the prospects of peace further away. By ignoring the reality of Hamas’s genocidal objectives and its use of Gaza’s civilian population as human shields, these organisations are undermining efforts to hold terrorists accountable while recklessly fanning the flames of antisemitism.
HRW’s report is steeped in speculation and a blatant disregard for the realities of asymmetric urban warfare. By ignoring Hamas’s extensive underground terror infrastructure, the report wilfully dismisses Israel’s legal and moral efforts to protect civilians while defending itself against a genocidal terrorist organisation. Instead, HRW peddles the dangerous fiction that Israel’s defensive actions amount to a deliberate attempt to “exterminate” Palestinians in Gaza. Such claims are not only unfounded but irresponsibly inflammatory.
Gary Mond, NJA Chairman, said: “This so-called report is nothing more than an attempt to bolster the antisemitic lawfare campaigns led by South Africa and Ireland at the International Court of Justice. HRW has forsaken its mission of promoting human rights and has instead become a tool for anti-Israel propaganda. These accusations are a grotesque distortion designed to undermine Israel’s right to defend itself.”
Steve Winston, NJA Managing Director, added: “The timing of these reports is no coincidence. HRW and Amnesty are working in tandem to delegitimise Israel while ignoring the atrocities of Hamas. Their relentless campaign under the guise of human rights advocacy emboldens terrorist organisations and promotes division and hate.”
The NJA calls on all governments, media outlets, and civil society actors to recognise these reports for what they truly are: political tools aimed at delegitimising Israel and obstructing its ability to defend itself. It is essential that international forums are not hijacked by organisations perpetuating such dangerous agendas.
