Release Date: 30 July 2009

NGO Monitor: Detailed Israel FM Gaza Report Disproves NGO Allegations

(Jerusalem) – Jerusalem-based research organization NGO Monitor today noted
the importance of the Israeli Foreign Ministry’s (MFA) publication of the
164 page report, “The Operation in Gaza: Factual and Legal Aspects”.
www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Terrorism+and+Islamic+Fundamentalism-/Operation_in_Gaza-Factual_and_Legal_Aspects.htm

The evidence presented in this report is central in examining biases and the
façade of research methodology in more than 500 NGO statements during and
after the recent Gaza conflict
www.ngo-monitor.org/article/ngo_statments_on_gaza_war
.

“The Operation in Gaza: Factual and Legal Aspects” restores the wider
context of the conflict, including details of the “12,000 rockets and mortar
shells” fired at Israeli civilians from 2000 to 2008. It also examines the
distorted NGO versions of International Humanitarian Law, while presenting
“the principles of distinction and proportionality” that guided Israeli
military actions.

On the central issue of human shields, Amnesty International and Human
Rights Watch
www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/report/impunity-war-crimes-gaza-southern-israel-recipe-further-civilian-suffering-20090702
claimed to have no evidence of Hamas’ utilization of this illegal practice.
In contrast, the MFA report quotes Hamas operatives who acknowledged rocket
fire from schools and describe incidents “in which Hamas activists requested
children to wheel carts laden with rockets, in case IDF forces noticed
them.” Numerous examples are provided, including televised boasts from a
Hamas legislator for having encouraged women, children and the elderly to
form human shields to protect military sites against Israeli attack.
Similarly, this report provides a detailed examination and refutation of
many of the NGO reports regarding the use of white phosphorous.

NGO Monitor’s Executive Director, Prof Gerald Steinberg said, “For years,
NGOs have mixed false claims, pure speculation, and bias in their ‘research
reports’, without responses from the Israeli government. This detailed
report represents a fundamental change, presenting a point-by-point
refutation of NGO allegations, including white phosphorous use and denial of
use of human shields by Hamas. The burden of proof has shifted to the NGOs,
which must now provide evidence for their claims that is more credible than
testimony from Palestinians and a handful of anonymous Israeli soldiers.”

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Editors Notes:
NGO Monitor was founded to promote transparency, critical analysis and
debate on the political role of human rights organizations. For more
information, see our website at
www.ngo-monitor.org

NGO Monitor's Executive Director is, Prof. Gerald Steinberg.
Members of NGO Monitor’s International Advisory Board include Elie Wiesel,
Prof Alan Dershowitz, Sir Martin Gilbert, R. James Woolsey and Elliot
Abrams.
For further information, comment or interviews contact Dan Kosky
+972 (0) 546-305-504
NGO Monitor – 1, Ben Maimon Blvd. - Jerusalem 92262 - Israel – T:
+972-2-566-1020
F: +972-77-511-7030
E: dan.kosky@ngo-monitor.org