[Opinion] Hope is nice, but demonization of Israel is unlikely to change
Professor Gerald M. Steinberg discusses NGO efforts to lobby the ICC.
NGOs: | Al Mezan Center for Human Rights |
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Other Content Types: | Press Releases, In The Media, Presentations, Posts, , Key Issues |
Publications: | Reports, Books, Academic Publications, Submissions, Resource Pages |
Start date: | 1 Jan 1988 |
End date: | 30 Jun 2024 |
Professor Gerald M. Steinberg discusses NGO efforts to lobby the ICC.
In deciding to pursue an investigation of Israel, International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda met with a number of terror-tied organizations and groups promoting demonization campaigns targeting Israel. These non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are also cited in various ICC documents related to the investigation. It appears that Bensouda exclusively met and replied upon groups representing the Palestinian narrative, which is reflected in the significant bias in her analysis.
On December 16, 2019, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) published its concluding observations from its review of the State of Israel. Unsurprisingly, the Concluding Observations parrot unverified and false claims by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) active in antisemitism, BDS (boycott, divestment, and sanctions), and other delegitimization campaigns against Israel.
On December 20, 2019, Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Fatou Bensouda announced that she intends to investigate alleged war crimes in the “State of Palestine.” This move is to a significant degree the product of consistent and heavy lobbying of the ICC for over a decade by NGOs.
On May 17, 2019, the German Bundestag passed a landmark resolution defining BDS (boycott, divestment, and sanctions) campaigns against Israel as antisemitic.
On May 4 and May 5, 2019, Palestinian terror groups in Gaza fired over 600 rockets and mortars toward Israeli population centers, murdering four Israeli civilians. NGOs and NGO officials that claim to promote human rights have ignored the blatant Palestinian violations against Israeli civilians. Some have remained silent altogether, while others have focused exclusively on demonizing Israel for responding to the attacks.
In March 2016, Michael Lynk, an associate professor of law from Canada, began his term as United Nations Special Rapporteur on the “situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967.” Based on the criteria to be named a Special Rappoteur and the following evidence, we conclude that Lynk is unqualified to fulfill this mandate for the UN.
As part of UNOCHA's “Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP),” aid appeals are divided into clusters with NGOs serving as implementing partners with UN agencies, and in some cases, responsible for leading the cluster. The cluster system is a key international lobbying and action mechanism through which the PA advances its nationalist and political agenda, sustaining conflict,
The 38th Session of the UN Human Rights Council (June 18 – July 6, 2018) continued the bias and hypocrisy that has come to define the UN in general and the UNHRC in particular. NGO Monitor staff was present, speaking before the Council and documenting the numerous false accusations from member states and NGOs.
On May 18, 2018, the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) held a “special session of the Human Rights Council on the deteriorating human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem.” Many of the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that participated in the session condemned Israel for allegedly committing “war crimes” and denied the legitimacy of Israel’s right to self-defense.