Double Standard on Israel

Regarding "Diversionary Strike on a Rights Group" by Kathleen Peratis [op-ed, Aug. 30]:

Ms. Peratis's defense of Human Rights Watch is based on a grossly distorted presentation of NGO Monitor's systematic research. Our analyses covering the past five years demonstrate that HRW officials have disproportionately targeted Israel, omitting the context of terrorism, while neglecting real human rights violations in Syria, Libya and Saudi Arabia.

Human Rights Watch officials focus far more on alleged Israeli and American "war crimes" than on the genocide in Sudan or the violence in Sri Lanka. HRW's agenda is obsessively partisan, and NGO Monitor has detailed examples of false or unverifiable claims by HRW.

Condemnations of "indiscriminate attacks" in Lebanon were based on "eyewitness testimony" denying the presence of Hezbollah members and weapons in Qana, Srifa and elsewhere. But journalists found clear evidence of this presence. Such distorted Human Rights Watch reports feed hatred in Pakistan, Turkey, Malaysia and the rest of the Muslim world.

For all of these reasons, the need for NGO Monitor to watch the watchers is clear.

GERALD M. STEINBERG

Editor

NGO Monitor

Jerusalem