From the Liveblog of
Thursday, March 2, 2017
Israel said to again deny entry to Human Rights Watch official
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleHuman Rights Watch official Omar Shakir has again been denied entry into Israel, despite assurances by Israeli officials he could enter the country on a tourist visa, the group says Thursday.
Shakir is the Israel and Palestine director of the organization’s Middle East and North Africa Division.
The Israeli government views the New York-based group with suspicion, arguing its reports on Israel are heavily influenced by pro-Palestinian politics rather than a close adherence to a human rights agenda.
The group counters that Israel’s attempts to exclude the group’s officials from the country “impedes our ability to document abuses by all sides and to engage the Israeli and Palestinian authorities and partners to improve the human rights situation for all.”
The Times of Israel Community.