HRW Israel-Palestine head Omar Shakir quits after leadership blocks Palestinian right-of-return report

Human Rights Watch's Israel and Palestine director, Omar Shakir, and a Jerusalem researcher have resigned following the organisation's decision to block a report on Israel's denial of Palestinians' right of return.

Shakir, with over a decade at HRW, cited concerns over new executive director Philippe Bolopion's "commitment to principled reporting on facts and application of the law" in his resignation letter shared on X Tuesday. He affirmed he would continue advocating for justice and reveal future plans soon.

The blocked report, titled “‘Our Souls Are in the Homes We Left’: Israel’s Denial of Palestinians’ Right to Return and Crimes Against Humanity,” had internal approval for December 4 release but was halted by Bolopion without "legitimate basis," per Shakir's account to Al Jazeera. Palestinian activists have criticised HRW's integrity amid the fallout.

HRW responded that the report involved "complex and consequential issues," requiring strengthened research and facts to meet standards; publication remains paused pending further review. The group previously drew fire from Palestinian organisations for its "premature" October 2023 Al Ahli Hospital strike analysis, attributing it to a Palestinian rocket, later contradicted by Forensic Architecture, The New York Times, and The Washington Post investigations.