Citing ‘bias,’ Israel denies visa to Human Rights Watch regional director

February 24, 2017

Israel is refusing to issue a visa to an American employee of Human Rights Watch over his group’s alleged bias against the Jewish state, the Guardian daily reported.

The Israeli decision on one of the world’s most prominent nongovernmental organizations in its field emerged after Israeli authorities turned down a visa for its new Israel and Palestine director, Omar Shakir, who is a U.S. citizen, The Guardian reported Friday. The rejection had been advised by Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, according to the report.

In a letter rejecting Shakir’s visa application seen by the Guardian, Israel accused the New York- based group of “public activities and reports [and being] engaged in politics in the service of Palestinian propaganda, while falsely raising the banner of ‘human rights’.’’