Two top Human Rights Watch researchers resign after report on Palestinian refugee return blocked - report
Omar Shakir and Milena Ansari step down, citing leadership’s decision to halt a report alleging Israel's denial of the right of return as a “crime against humanity”
Two leading Human Rights Watch (HRW) researchers have resigned from the organization after leadership blocked a report that described Israel’s denial of Palestinian refugees’ right of return as a “crime against humanity.” Omar Shakir, who headed HRW’s Israel and Palestine team for nearly a decade, and Milena Ansari, the team’s assistant researcher, announced their resignations in letters obtained by Jewish Currents.
Shakir and Ansari said HRW leadership’s decision to pull the report ahead of its scheduled December 4th publication broke from the organization’s standard approval processes. In his resignation letter, Shakir wrote, “I have lost my faith in the integrity of how we do our work and our commitment to principled reporting on the facts and application of the law. As such, I am no longer able to represent or work for Human Rights Watch.”
The resignations come as Philippe Bolopion begins his tenure as HRW’s new executive director, marking a period of leadership transition within one of the world’s most prominent human rights organizations. Shakir and Ansari emphasized that the decision to block the report appeared driven by concerns over political backlash rather than a commitment to international law.
In response, HRW stated that the report “raised complex and consequential issues. In our review process, we concluded that aspects of the research and the factual basis for our legal conclusions needed to be strengthened to meet Human Rights Watch’s high standards.” The organization added that the “publication of the report was paused pending further analysis and research” and that the review process is ongoing.
The report had been expected to examine Israel’s policies regarding Palestinian refugees and assess the legal obligations of the state under international law. Shakir and Ansari’s departures highlight internal tensions within HRW over balancing rigorous legal analysis with potential political sensitivities.
Human Rights Watch has not provided a new timeline for the report’s publication, and the future of the investigation into Israel’s handling of Palestinian refugee rights remains uncertain. Observers say the resignations may impact HRW’s credibility and approach to contentious issues in the Middle East.