Objectivity polluted

“We must expose the hypocrisy of human rights organisations that turn a blind eye to the most repressive regimes in the world — regimes that stone women and hang gays — and instead target the only liberal democracy in the Middle East.”

So blathered the Israeli government in response to a report from Human Rights Watch that criticised Israel for maintaining “systematic discrimination” against Palestinians in the occupied territories.

Israeli government mouthpiece and spin doctor Mark Regev whined in his uniquely tiresome way that “Human Rights Watch has allowed an anti-Israel agenda to pollute its objectivity.”

The proposition that Human Rights Watch “turns a blind eye to the most repressive regimes in the world” while victimising poor Israel is absolutely risible, as the most cursory glance at HRW’s website will attest.

The volume of HRW’s critical reporting against such repressive regimes is copious in comparison to its occasional focus on Israel’s performance.

Regev and his bosses might want to look a little closer to home if they’re truly concerned about “pollution” of objectivity.