‘Punch in the Gut’ — Amnesty’s Own Israel Head Says Apartheid Report Makes Things Worse

The executive director of Amnesty International’s Israel branch came out against the human rights organization’s recent report accusing Israel of apartheid, saying it was doing more harm than good.

In an interview with Zman Yisrael, Molly Malekar said the report as a “punch to the gut.”

“I do not see what goals this report promotes, and I do see how it may harm our goals — the promotion of human rights in Israel and the occupied territories,” Malekar said.

She also slammed the Amnesty International report for failing to distinguish between Arab citizens of Israel and Palestinians in the West Bank.

“They [Arab citizens of Israel] are treated as perpetual, passive victims of apartheid, devoid of any rights and agency,” Malekar said. “They [Amnesty] turn them into victims, into an object. This is neither true nor helpful.”

Malekar continued: “There is discrimination against Palestinian citizens of Israel, but they have rights, some in key positions; they are campaigning and influencing, and this should be recognized, appreciated and encouraged.”

Israel’s Arab citizens – who account for 20% of the country’s population – enjoy full and equal rights under Israeli law. Arab Israelis hold the highest positions of power in Israel’s legislative, executive and judicial branches. An Arab Islamist party currently sits in the ruling government and its leader, Mansour Abbas, also rejected Amnesy’s report. The same day that Malekar’s remarks were published, it was announced that an Arab Muslim was appointed as an Supreme Court Justice.

The report, which claims that Palestinians are treated as “an inferior racial group,” prompted outrage from the Israeli government, with Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid saying that “Amnesty quotes lies spread by terrorist organizations.”

The U.S. and UK both rejected the findings of the Amnesty report of Israel as an apartheid country.

Malekar said that the report, written by Amnesty International London-based Secretariat, took four years to compile. During that period, there were heated arguments between some employees and board members of the local Israeli branch and the World Secretariat, as well as Israeli activists who supported the report.

According to Malekar, several pro-Palestinian activists, both in Israel and in the West Bank, who campaign for Palestinian rights also feel that the report is misguided.