Human rights organisations must be at the forefront of Palestinian solidarity in order to honour their definition and yet, statements and references vary in their narrative and decision to include the word “genocide”. We spoke to NGO workers as well as reference examples of dissatisfaction with employers’ absence of correct language or a statement altogether. Interviewees have been anonymised except for quotes from public sources. Watered-down language fails to acknowledge the colonial context of Palestine. The usage of phrases such as “both sides” and “situation” are often chosen over phrases which obscure colonial violence. Before the ceasefire and Israel’s subsequent violations, Kara, an activist who works for a small human rights NGO, told us “The language used in my organisation’s communications has consistently failed to recognise the pervasive, historic violence committed by the state of Israel against the Palestinian people. This has made me feel deeply angry, and no amount of me voicing my discomfort has made a difference to the organisation’s approach. As time has gone on, there has been more consistent condemnation of Israel’s violence and urgent calls for a ceasefire, but still no use of the word ‘genocide’”. Israeli Holocaust and genocide studies scholar, Raz Segal, said on 16 October, 2023, “We are seeing the combination of genocidal acts with special intent (by Israel). That is indeed a textbook case of genocide.” Israel’s treatment of Palestinians has been referenced as genocidal long before the Hamas attack on 7 October, 2023. In August, 2013, Francis Boyle, human rights lawyer and professor of international law, said “The Palestinians have been the victims of genocide as defined by the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.” This is the Convention which South Africa cited when they brought Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on 29 December, 2023. Fourteen countries have since announced their intent to join the ongoing case.

Refugee rights NGOs have a duty to address the genocide as UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East) reports there are 5.9 million Palestinian refugees registered for UNRWA services. Statements of solidarity including the correct language must accompany any refugee population, no matter their origin. Jackie, an employee of an international refugee rights NGO noted that "we were initially banned from commenting on the ceasefire despite having active project work with Gaza due to concerns raised by British funders.” Israel’s ceasefire violations started soon after it was placed in effect on 19 January, 2025, and was officially broken on 18 March, 2025 by Israel’s killing at least 404 Palestinians. A “plan” was announced 5 May, 2025 to intensify military operations and besiege Gaza permanently. 

In recent months, employees of the International Rescue Committee have noticed a decrease in the organisation's accuracy in their messaging and narrative around Palestine. Approximately 580 ‘IRC Middle Eastern staff and allies’ signed a letter addressed to president and CEO David Miliband, criticising a “muted response and biased language about the immense loss of life in Gaza.” Many organisations have failed to release statements entirely. German refugee rescue NGO, Sea-Watch, has denounced the usage of Israeli spyware targeting sea rescue activists, though no official statement on the genocide has been made. Tigs Louis-Puttick, a search and rescue worker, grew frustrated with their lack of acknowledgement. Sea-Watch left out Israel in a list of examples of countries associated with the world’s worst patriarchal violence, prompting Louis-Puttick to comment on 25 November, 2024: “Israel is currently the number 1 cause of death for women and girls in the world. IDF soldiers also rape and assault women. Patriarchy kills, Israel kills, Zionism kills.” Their examples included Germany, France, Sudan, Afghanistan and Iran. Germany has gone even further, cutting funding to NGOs for supporting Palestine post-October 7th. Liam, a crew member of another search and refugee rescue NGO explained to us, “The civil search and rescue fleet operates on the basis of solidarity. There are cases where front line NGOs must cooperate with state authorities to conduct essential and precarious humanitarian operations. They might try to fly beneath the radar and be supported by organisations that can afford to be more vocal. Nonetheless, they need to be clear on their solidarity with the Palestinian people if they are to remain aligned with the fundamental principles of humanitarianism.” 

Workers across various industries are facing job losses for pro-Palestinian stances and NGOs are no exception. Griff Ferris confronted his organisation, and was subsequently fired. The former senior legal and policy officer worked at  Fair Trials, a global criminal justice watchdog, for three and a half years prior to his termination. Ferris publicly addressed Fair Trials via X (formerly twitter) on 26 October, 2023: “I work at an international ‘human rights’ charity, @fairtrials. Yesterday, the interim CEO & a senior legal advisor refused to sign a statement condemning Israel’s war crimes, ethnic cleansing & genocide against Palestinians, and related criminalisation of speech and protest.” Ferris was officially terminated from Fair Trials on 29 April, 2024, prior to the decision to “wind down the Charity’s operations as of November 2024,” detailed in the Trustee’s annual report - for the year ended 31 March 2024. Said report boasts, “Fair Trials envisions a world where governments use the power of the criminal process with utmost restraint, humanity, fairness, equality, and respect for human rights and dignity.”  In their own words they define potential conflicts of interests as, “Any conflicts of interest, including those resulting from connections between Trustees and key management and third parties, must be disclosed at the Trustees’ meeting and are then noted in a register of conflicts. All potential conflicts were reviewed by the Trustees and considered to have no practical effect.” 

Fair Trials Trustee, Robert Scott has past business dealings in Israel. Scott previously worked for Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide (acquired by Mariott in 2016) between 1991 - 2009. Starwood purchased and oversaw hotels in Israel from 1999 under Scott’s Vice Presidency and General Counsel EAME (Europe, Africa, and Middle East division). The international community’s complicity in Israel’s genocide against Palestinians further normalises oppression and assures perpetuators that they can act with impunity. We are already seeing this come to pass. Following an attack on tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir, there have been echoing calls for an “Israel-like” retaliation by law enforcement and high-profile commentators. So-called human rights organisations have a responsibility to lead by example.

Article by Sarah Zad