(Jerusalem, June 4th 2007) – Amnesty International (AI) today issued a report entitled "Enduring Occupation: Palestinians under siege in the West Bank," which provides more evidence of AI's strong political agenda on Arab-Israeli issues. This report also reinforces the unjustified boycott campaigns that delegitimize Israel and the right of self-defense. By participating in this campaign, the members of Amnesty International, including the Israeli branch, undermine the basis of universal human rights.

Previous NGO Monitor reports have noted the prevalence of one-sided attacks on Israel from AI, and the organization's latest publication confirms this long-standing bias. "Enduring Occupation" begins by placing full responsibility for the conflict on Israel, with minimal reference to Palestinian terror. The emotive language employed in the report is more appropriate for a propaganda communiqué, such as the highly charged opening implication that Israel deliberately kills Palestinian children. Once again, Amnesty has invented and ignored evidence in order to demonize Israel.

The report also falsely implies that Israel arbitrarily imposes restrictions on Palestinians, commits "war crimes," and calls for Israelis to be prosecuted in the world's courts. AI's report barely acknowledges Palestinian terror and the extensive support it receives from neighboring regimes. Nor is there substantial recognition of Israel's right, according to international law, to defend itself against such terror.

Furthermore, the report deliberately misrepresents Israel's separation barrier, ignoring the precipitous decline in terror attacks following the barrier's construction. There is no mention of widespread corruption within the Palestinian economic and social systems, the international boycott of Hamas as a terror organization, and the continued mismanagement of funds by the Palestinians. AI's report is explicit in laying the blame squarely on Israel and indicative of a clear political agenda.

Gerald Steinberg, Executive Director of NGO Monitor, remarked that "This Amnesty report, following tendentious condemnations of Israel, demonstrates the moral bankruptcy of this organization. We call on the members of Amnesty International, including Amnon Vidan who heads the Israeli branch to submit their resignations in protest."

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