RAMALLAH, Monday, November 25, 2019 (WAFA) – Israeli deportation of Human Rights Watch Director, Omar Shakir, is a desperate measure to conceal its war crimes, said Hanan Ashrawi, member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, in a press release today.

"With the deportation of Human Rights Watch Director, Omar Shakir, Israel has unequivocally demonstrated the subservience of all official branches of government to the regime of political repression, brute force, and racist mentality that maintain the illegal occupation of Palestine," said the statement.

"For years, Israel has been engaged in a smear and incitement campaign as well as a strict stifling censorship regime against Palestinian, Israeli, and international human rights advocates and organizations in an attempt at intimidating and silencing them," it added. "Deportation is another coercive tactic in a long and shameful list of actions targeting the human rights community and the victims of Israel‘s persistent human rights violations,” it added.

"Deporting the Human Rights Watch Director in Israel/Palestine, Mr. Omar Shakir, is a desperate and despotic action consistent with the unlawful practices of this occupation regime. It is an alarming wake-up call to all those who seek peace and justice for both sides that Israel will resort to extreme measures to hide the truth. This is of critical concern because of the systematic targeting of the defenseless Palestinian population and a deliberate escalation that is politically motivated to terrorize vulnerable Palestinians and to enact its expansionist plans over historical Palestine.

“This systematic campaign of persecution targeting international and local human rights advocates to silence dissent must be made to fail. We encourage more human rights bodies and activists to seek the truth and work for justice in our region, despite the challenges and dangers. Without monitoring and accountability, the Israeli occupation will continue its campaign of violence and intimidation with full impunity without any curbs. It is incumbent upon the international community, both governments and relevant organizations, to intervene to protect the human rights protectors as well as the Palestinian people as a whole. Israel cannot expect to impose a blackout on the whole world as a cover up to maintain its violent agenda against the Palestinian people," the statement concluded.

K.T./M.K.