(Jerusalem) - In the face of intense criticism of its Middle East activities, Human Rights Watch has expanded its Middle East and North Africa (MENA) advisory board with the addition of ten members, largely based in the Middle East. While some are human rights activists in their own countries, (Iran, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, etc.), including women's rights, many also contribute significantly to targeting Israel through the language of human rights.

In particular, the addition of Ms. Asli Bali, and Aeyal Gross, who is known as an opponent of Israeli policies, will reinforce the political agenda of MENA heads Sara Leah Whitson and Joe Stork, as documented in NGO Monitor's detailed analysis, "Experts or Ideologues?". These changes reflect and strengthen what founder Robert Bernstein criticized as HRW's role in "turning Israel into a pariah state", as well as HRW's role in 'lawfare', including the intensive promotion of the Goldstone Report.  (Goldstone is closely linked to HRW, and was a member of the board until after his appointment to head the UNHRC's "fact finding mission".)

Another point of interest is the inclusion of Ahmad Zuaiter, who is a portfolio manager at Soros Fund Management. Soros' Open Society Institute has become a major source of funding for HRW and for a number of other organizations that promote anti-Israel boycotts...

NGO Monitor's President Gerald Steinberg commented: "These additions to HRW's board serve different and contradictory goals. On the one hand, by including some Arab human rights activists, Kenneth Roth and Sarah Leah Whitson acknowledge Robert Bernstein's powerful criticism of having neglected campaigns against the despotic regimes in the Middle East. But a number of the individuals also add to HRW's agenda of 'turning Israel into a pariah state', as recognized by Bernstein. Like Whitson and Stork, and other board members such as Helena Cobban, the addition of Asli Bali, Aeyal Gross and others reflect the anti-Israel obsession that is incompatible with universal human rights. These appointments again demonstrate the need for a full and independent review if HRW is to recover relevance in the realm of human rights."