21 Human rights groups have strongly condemned in a joint statement issued Friday Israel’s ban on Human Rights Watch (HRW) entry into the occupied Palestinian territories.
“We human rights organizations from Israel consider Israel’s refusal to allow Omar Shakir of Human Rights Watch (HRW) to enter the country a cause of grave concern. We stand in solidarity with him and our colleagues at HRW” the statement said.
Israel seeks to portray itself as a card-carrying member of the club of democratic countries. Yet what is democracy without free speech robust public debate and open criticism? A state that defines itself as democratic cannot turn its border control into a thought police according to the statement.
“Neither closing Israel’s borders to human rights organizations and activists nor other measures by the Israeli government against organizations that criticize the occupation will deter us from continuing to report human rights violations in the territories controlled by Israel. Attempts to silence the messenger will not suppress our message” the statement included.
The 21 human rights groups include Adalah Center Akevot Amnesty International Israel Bimkom Breaking the Silence B’Tselem Coalition of Women for Peace Emek Shaveh Gisha Hamoked: Center for the Defense of the Individual Haqel-Jews and Arabs in Defense of Human Rights Human Rights Defenders Fund Machsom Watch Negev Coexistence Forum for Civil Equality Physicians for Human Rights Israel the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel and Yesh Din.
