{"id":507414,"date":"2022-02-10T16:19:45","date_gmt":"2022-02-10T16:19:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/radiofree.asia\/?guid=3178c76cd2ade5318b94be3f811b987f"},"modified":"2022-02-10T16:19:45","modified_gmt":"2022-02-10T16:19:45","slug":"dems-attack-amnesty-report-on-israel-to-justify-us-complicity-in-rights-abuses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2022\/02\/10\/dems-attack-amnesty-report-on-israel-to-justify-us-complicity-in-rights-abuses\/","title":{"rendered":"Dems Attack Amnesty Report on Israel to Justify US Complicity in Rights Abuses"},"content":{"rendered":"\"Sen.<\/a>

The Biden administration and congressional leaders of both parties have launched a full-frontal assault on the integrity of Amnesty International, the world\u2019s largest human rights organization. This decidedly mainstream nongovernmental organization (NGO) — which is a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, boasts more than 10 million members worldwide and is cited frequently by U.S. government agencies — was embraced by most leading Democrats until it released its latest report last week regarding systemic violations of international humanitarian law by Israel, a very close U.S. ally.<\/p>\n

The 280-page report<\/a> systematically examined Israel\u2019s fragmentation of the Palestinian population into zones of control, dispossession of land and property, segregation, restrictions on economic and social rights, home demolitions and forced evictions, family separations, and other human rights violations. It made a very strong case that such practices collectively constitute the legal definition of apartheid<\/a> \u2014 that is, serious human rights violations \u201cperpetrated in the context of an institutionalized regime of systematic oppression and domination by one racial group over another, with the intention to maintain that system.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite the compelling nature of Amnesty\u2019s investigation, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides<\/a> immediately called the well-researched report \u201cabsurd,\u201d and State Department spokesperson Ned Price<\/a> roundly rejected the report\u2019s conclusion as well, adding \u201cthe Jewish people must not be denied their right to self-determination\u201d — even though there was nothing in the report questioning that. Price prevaricated<\/a> when asked by a reporter why the State Department was so quick to denounce Amnesty in this case while being quite willing to cite Amnesty authoritatively when it criticized governments opposed by Washington.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer<\/a> (D-New York) falsely claimed that Amnesty\u2019s detailed report on Israeli violations of international humanitarian law constituted “delegitimizing the existence of the State of Israel” \u2014 despite absolutely nothing in the report questioning Israel\u2019s legitimacy in any way.<\/p>\n

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Robert Menendez<\/a> (D-New Jersey), without offering specifics, accused Amnesty of slander and misinformation, baselessly claiming that the organization was \u201cdenying Israel\u2019s right to exist.\u201d The Senate Democrats\u2019 de facto foreign policy spokesman insisted that the Israeli government actually “values human rights,\u201d despite findings to the contrary in countless well-documented reports from Amnesty and other human rights groups.<\/p>\n

Rep. Gregory Meeks<\/a> (D-New York), chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, claimed that implementing Amnesty International’s recommendations to challenge Israel’s apartheid policies in the West Bank “would threaten Israel\u2019s existence.\u201d<\/p>\n

Democratic House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer<\/a> (D-Maryland) made clear that the Democratic Caucus remained solidly in support of the Israeli government against human rights groups, insisting that Amnesty was “fuel[ing] hatred against Jews” and pledging that, “Our Democratic House Majority will continue to stand with Israel and Jewish communities in efforts to end the spread of misinformation and the vilification of Israel and Jews.\u201d<\/p>\n