Human Rights Watch boots UN Palestinian rights official from one of its panels

JTA — Human Rights Watch has removed Richard Falk, United Nations special rapporteur on Palestinian human rights, from one of its local committees.

Falk, who has compared Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians to the actions of the Nazis and suggested that the US government may have had foreknowledge of the 9/11 attacks, was removed Tuesday from the international nongovernmental organization’s local committee in Santa Barbara, Calif.

UN Watch said in a letter to its supporters that Falk’s removal from the committee came after UN Watch sent an open letter to Human Rights Watch calling for Falk’s removal.

The Human Rights Watch website has been updated to remove Falk’s name from the committee.

Falk, who is Jewish, wrote on his blog that he had been asked to resign by the organization but said that he believed it was “because of my connection with the UN, which is contrary to HRW policy.”