‘False, Biased and Anti-Semitic’: Israel Blasts Amnesty Intl. Report’s Accusations of Apartheid

Summary

Amnesty International's report labels Israel as an apartheid state, accusing it of oppressing Palestinians. Israel vehemently denies these allegations, with Foreign Minister Yair Lapid asserting the report echoes terrorist lies and questions Israel's right to exist. Critics argue the report's definition of apartheid is misused and that it unfairly targets Israel, overlooking other regimes and the Palestinian Authority's own discriminatory practices.

Takeaways

• 📜 Amnesty International has released a report labeling Israel as an apartheid state that oppresses Palestinians.
• 🇮🇱 Israel is denouncing the report, claiming it contains false charges and questions the right of the Jewish state to exist.
• 🗣️ Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid accuses Amnesty of spreading lies propagated by terrorist organizations.
• 🤔 The Israeli government argues that a serious examination would show the report's claims are delusional and disconnected from reality.
• 📚 Amnesty's report is titled 'Israel's Apartheid Against Palestinians: Cruel System of Domination and Crime Against Humanity'.
• 🏛️ The report alleges that Israel has established an institutionalized regime of oppression and domination of the Palestinian population since 1948.
• 📰 A Wall Street Journal editorial calls the report a libel that distorts history, noting Israel's founding as a refuge for Jewish people post-Holocaust.
• 🔍 Amnesty International claims to use the international definition of apartheid, which typically refers to racial separation in South Africa.
• 🏛️ Israeli attorney Ian Hertzberg suggests the report aims to question Israel's legitimacy by exploiting anti-Semitic tropes.
• 🆚 Israeli attorney David Benjamin, who grew up in South Africa, argues there is no comparison between Israeli policies and apartheid.
• 🤝 Benjamin points out the involvement of Arab Knesset members in the Israeli government, challenging the apartheid label.

Q & A

What is the main allegation made by Amnesty International against Israel in their report?

Amnesty International alleges that Israel is an apartheid state that oppresses Palestinians and has established an institutionalized regime of oppression and domination of the Palestinian population for the benefit of Jewish Israelis.

How does Israel respond to the report by Amnesty International?

Israel rejects the allegations, calling them false and delusional, and accuses Amnesty International of echoing the lies spread by terrorist organizations and propagating the same lies that seek to destroy the country.

What does Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid claim about Amnesty International's report?

Yair Lapid claims that Amnesty International doesn't call other corrupt and murderous regimes, such as Syria or Iran, apartheid states, and suggests that if Israel wasn't a Jewish state, Amnesty would not dare make such claims against it.

What is the title of the Amnesty International report on Israel?

The report is titled 'Israel's Apartheid Against Palestinians: Cruel System of Domination and Crime Against Humanity'.

How does a Wall Street Journal editorial describe the Amnesty International report?

The Wall Street Journal editorial calls the report a libel that distorts history.

What does Israeli attorney Ian Hertzberg from the NGO Monitor argue about the report's intention?

Ian Hertzberg argues that the report is aimed at questioning the legitimacy of Israel's existence by using the charge of apartheid, which is an easy way to essentialize and exploit anti-Semitic tropes.

How does Israeli attorney David Benjamin, who grew up in South Africa, compare the situation in Israel to apartheid?

David Benjamin states that there is absolutely nothing in common between the system of apartheid that applied in South Africa and the current situation in Israel, emphasizing that it is easy to throw around labels but the reality is different.

What example does David Benjamin give to illustrate the difference between Israel and an apartheid state?

David Benjamin points out that Arab Knesset members are part of the government and even contributed to the change in the Prime Minister, which he argues would not be possible in an apartheid state.

What criticism does Benjamin have regarding the Palestinian Authority?

Benjamin criticizes the Palestinian Authority for being the worst enemy of the Palestinian people, alleging routine discrimination against Jews and the execution of Palestinians who sell land to Jews.

What is the criticism of Amnesty International for not addressing other issues in the region?

The criticism is that Amnesty International should be exploring issues such as the Palestinian Authority's actions, Hamas's misuse of international aid, and the lack of elections in the Palestinian territories, instead of focusing solely on Israel.

What is the stance of the international community regarding the libel against Israel mentioned in the script?

The script suggests that such libel against Israel should not be accepted by the international community, implying a need for a more balanced and accurate representation of the situation.