Factual and legal claims made by self-proclaimed human rights NGOs are often accepted without question by journalists. This “halo effect” protects NGOs from scrutiny that other political groups would automatically receive, masking their lack of research methodology and ideological bias.
On May 11, 2026, Nicholas Kristof published an opinion piece in The New York Times that promotes incendiary anti-Israel libels. In his piece, Kristof relies heavily on reports, quotations, and citations from highly politicized NGOs that, at best, have well-established, documented anti-Israel agendas, and at worst, have direct links to Hamas and other terror groups.
Organizations that pursue moral agendas have a particular obligation to operate according to ethical principles. NGO Monitor is proposing the following ethical guidelines to ensure that declaratory red lines are reflected in substantive policy of NGOs and their funders.
On May 13, 2010, Human Rights Watch (HRW) released its seventh report on the Gaza war, I Lost Everything. The 116-page report focuses on alleged IDF destruction of civilian property, using this to promote the Goldstone report and to renew boycott calls against Israel.
