Rights group: Israel 'personally attacking' us over Gaza report

How does their being biased (if they are) affect whether the charges they make are true? The truth is still true, no matter who says it.

As it happens, he was right; his mandate did not include the period before Cast Lead. How is telling the truth (an activity with which you may not have much familiarity) squirming his way out of blame?

What do any of the charges you make against Hamas have to do with possible misdeeds by Israel? If Israel has committed these offenses, why shouldn't it be brought up on charges, regardless of what someone else has done?

The very best way for Israel to address the charges brought by Human Rights Watch and the Goldstone report is to investigate all charges seriously and prosecute those,if any, found to have committed war crimes. Palliative comparisons, saying that the Hamas violations of human rights were worse, is no defense. The comparison must be to the human rights standards, not to what one's enemy has done.

The last sentence repeating what Levine said, confirms what Bernstein wrote in the New York Times. One only has to read the many press releases, articles and reports issued by Human Rights Watch to see how biased they have been and are.

After their own founder published a scathing report about HRW, did they bother to address the allegations? No. They just scream louder to deny them. HRW's board and director should resign and be replaced by people with real perspective on human rights. How can they deny they went to Saudi Arabia (a human rights abomination in its own right) to raise money, when the facts show that they did just that? Crikey. Look at Goldstone's report itself. Despite 8 years of blatant war crimes by Palestinians who fired missiles at Israeli civilians, Goldstone waits until page 473 of his report to mention this. Goldstone squirmed his way out of blame by saying his "mandate" did not include the period before Operation Cast Lead. In the style he learned at HRW, Goldstone closed his eyes to history and decided Cast Lead just happened out of thin air. Pathetic. The world needs serious human rights organizations. HRW and Amnesty are letting everybody down - except the Palestinians, of course

And their medicine is very bitter.

Breaking news. The issues are not about HRW. Fine, so HRW says the Goldstone report is right. What does that add? Israel is fully entitled to defend itself against the allegations set out in that report and fully entitled to impugn the motives, judgement and intelligence of those supporting the report. Does HRW think that judges should take marching orders from organizations that discriminate, who itself is composed of states that are dripping in human rights abuses? What in the world does HRW add to the issues other than distraction. Bottom line is that from the outset of the Goldstone investigation, there was an apprehension of bias. And at the other end, after the report was complete, Goldstone has behaved like an advocate, not a judge. Any human rights organization worth its salt would be shocked & worried by a judge that seamlessely moves from an adjudicative role to an advocacy role. What does that say about the neutrality of the judge in his adjudicative role?

This is too funny to be true! HRW thinks that it is entitled to free speech, but not defenders of Israel! Hey HRW you know why you now have to spend "a lot of time repudiating the lies, the falsehoods, the misinformation," because you, HRW, spend all of your time spreading the lies, falsehoods, and misinformation! My god, this is too funny to be true. Please tell me there is somone more intelligent at HRW.

It about time these "human rights" groups get a feel for what they have subjected Israel to for years. Whats the matter they can do it to Israel but all of the sudden when they are on the defensive its not fair?

HRW needs to first determine if the Gazans are being held hostage by Hamas. Why can't Gazans go to the Hajj, attend political meetings and festivals in the West Bank? Why have so many Gazans been killed while trying to leave Gaza? Lay off Israel until you have determined this.

"Sep 17th 2009 From The Economist print edition A UN report on the fighting in Gaza is deeply flawed... From the very start, this report had to overcome the taint of prejudice. It was mandated by the UN Human Rights Council, an anti-Israeli outfit notorious for having congratulated Sri Lanka?s government on brutal conduct that led to appalling loss of life among Tamil civilians." And so on. http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14455609

it is about time Israel started going after all the NGO's who for years have done nothing to help the peace process but relentlesly attack Israel. I for one am thrillled that we are fighting back. Enough of their unsubstanitated and biased attacks without givning it back to them. Even the founder Of HRW wrote an editiorial chasitising them for their biased reports that encourage more Israeli bashing. So. HRW, how do you like a taste of your own medicine. Maybe now you will get your act together and try to be honest and fair, something you haven't been for years.

HRC has already acknowledged that they DID raise money in Saudi Arabia on this basis. How can you be "defamed" by the truth?

The fact that HRW solicits funds from flagrant violators of Human Rights is enough to discredit the organization. Isreal bashing or no Isreal bashing. Sorry HRW your doing it to yourselves. Don't blame us if all you are looking for are funds to keep your egos bloated.

How cynical can be this Human watch group, they are a pathetic group of leaches who retort to extorsion from any country not to talk nasty about them. Where are they regarding Iran, where any oposition to their extreme shia is castigated by death, or in places in Africa, Venezuela,china?. no way, WHY. the mere use of the word Israel brings them attention and money. It is a cinch when any newspaper writes about Israel they sale many more copies.

"Sep 17th 2009 From The Economist print edition A UN report on the fighting in Gaza is deeply flawed... From the very start, this report had to overcome the taint of prejudice. It was mandated by the UN Human Rights Council, an anti-Israeli outfit notorious for having congratulated Sri Lanka?s government on brutal conduct that led to appalling loss of life among Tamil civilians." And so on. http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14455609

"I really hesitate to use words like conspiracy, but there is a feeling that there is an organized campaign..", Lain Levine - don't hesitate. There really is a conspiracy of defamation. Fight back ! David

Just face it, they are getting back what they have dished out over all these years...get a hobby! When Jews fight back, look out, they get all kinds of flack, people crawl out of the woodwork, the world is much more comfortable when the Jews are good, passive victims.well screw all you, cant take it? as i said get a new hobby.

Extremists like the prime minister and war mongers like the IDF generals have implanted the feeling of cornered and isolated souls in the brains of all Jews all over the world. To compensate for that feeling, Jews accuse any one who comes even close to criticizing their bad deeds.

You cannot spread lies against Israel and expect no response.

Human Rights Watch has accused Israel of launching an "organized campaign" of lies and misinformation against it in the wake of the organization's support of the Goldstone report, British newspaper the Guardian reported Friday. Instead of the opposite for a change, huh?

Who enlisted? drafted? nominated? and selected these people? are they paid? what is the mechanism for electing leaders? Can anybody join? are there any conditions for joining? To whom are they responsible? They spend and collect money all over the world, who check their accounts? who ballance their books? Can one see these books?How are they run? where can I get a structure chart of their organization ? Who elected Mr. Levin for his position for how long? To whom does he reports? If I want to complain about him where do I go. How do they allocate their resources? They do not go everywhere so why do they go to that place and neglect the other? do they publish priority lists? where can one get a list of the people working for them? These are the questions that should not be asked, they should publish them without asking.

"We are having to spend a lot of time repudiating the lies, the falsehoods, the misinformation." This is pure whining. As an organisation that is involved in the political sphere it will have to face investigation and counter argument and it will accordingly have to spend time in dealing with them. Either deal with it or shut up. The question of who finances what is of great concern to many, as a mysterious Saudi organisation is said to be financing anything to the detriment of Jewish and Israeli interests.

the so call human rights group is familiar with how to promote an "organized campaign of lies and misinformation" because they've specialized in telling them for so many years

The Watch should have gone to different media to make its case: Figaro, Telegraph, N.Y. Times as few examples. To use Guardian who is more than willing under any excuse to tell tales about the Israel system, is a welcoming opportunity. The Watch should be more forthcoming, thus undercut any untold spread of rumours, in opening its Funding Books, preventing any reason for feeling any conspiracy guilt. After all, Israel is a Democracy by nature of its laws protecting the rights of minority interests of all kind, provided those same NGO come clean. We don't want any discrimination: be it ideological, ethnic or religious (don't we: Just ask the Moroccans that reached the cost of Israel in the 40s,50s and 60s).

...but unfortunately posts without "balance, perspective or meaningful input" are not much better than no posts at all. (if fact, worse)

South African whites refused to believe they were doing anything wrong, and the US gave them diplomatic support. Serbs refused to believe they were doing anything wrong, and Russia gave them diplomatic support. Israelis refuse to believe they are doing anything wrong, and the US gives you diplomatic support. Sorry, but your actions are inhuman, and that is why the world hates you.

....but unfortunately "debate without action" is not much better than no debate at all.

Rights groups are attacking Israel every time they can even with out evidence now they are just getting back the same prize why they complaint? Did they learn from Palestinian; first they launch an attack and than are crying when someone reacts.Good luck and enjoy your medicine.

"We are having to spend a lot of time repudiating the lies, the falsehoods, the misinformation". What lies are they repudiating? In an op-ed in the New York Times Tuesday, a longtime chair of the board of Human Rights Watch lashed out at the organization for its supposed anti-Israel bias, apparently manifested in disproportionate coverage of Israeli human rights abuses. The board chair, former Random House CEO Robert Bernstein, argues that HRW has no business expending resources investigating Israel, as open societies like Israel can police themselves. Writes Bernstein, At Human Rights Watch, we always recognized that open, democratic societies have faults and commit abuses. But we saw that they have the ability to correct them ? through vigorous public debate, an adversarial press and many other mechanisms that encourage reform. That is why we sought to draw a sharp line between the democratic and nondemocratic worlds, in an effort to create clarity in human rights.

.... get out of the kitchen. Do they think they can operate in a vaccuum? The irony is that there is nowhere near enough criticism of the UNHRW as they are still able to operate as a blatantly political organisation.

HRG does not have the 'balls' to stand up for their accusations! Israel has the right to fight back this smear attack!

it is about time that Israel went on the PR offensive instead of constantly defending and apologizing and cowering to attacks by politically motivated 'rights' groups. I have tried debating issues with rights groups members and have found them blindly anti Israel and filled with all sorts of assumptions and biases that would make a fascist appear liberal.