As I clicked around Human Rights Watch's website after it published that report yesterday, I came across a name I recognized: @KhuloodBadawi, HRW's "Israel and East Jerusalem Consultant."
I know Badawi. Or rather, I know her background. And I played a small part in it.
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I know Badawi. Or rather, I know her background. And I played a small part in it.
(THREAD)
During a round of Hamas-instigated violence in 2012, a tweet by Badawi, whom I didn't know, appeared in my feed.
She'd tweeted a disturbing photo of a small girl covered in blood, writing, "Another child killed by #Israel… another father carrying his child to a grave in #Gaza."
She'd tweeted a disturbing photo of a small girl covered in blood, writing, "Another child killed by #Israel… another father carrying his child to a grave in #Gaza."
I saw the tweet, which had been RTed hundreds of times. Something about it seemed off.
So I did a reverse image search and discovered that the photo had been distributed by Reuters six years earlier.
According to the caption, the girl's death had nothing to do with Israel.
So I did a reverse image search and discovered that the photo had been distributed by Reuters six years earlier.
According to the caption, the girl's death had nothing to do with Israel.
I tweeted out the discovery and soon others around the world picked up the thread.
It didn't take long before it became clear that Badawi wasn't just any Twitter user: she was a UN "Information and Media Coordinator" based in Jerusalem.
That's when things really blew up.
It didn't take long before it became clear that Badawi wasn't just any Twitter user: she was a UN "Information and Media Coordinator" based in Jerusalem.
That's when things really blew up.
Israel's then-ambassador to the UN, Ron Prosor, publicly demanded that Badawi be fired.
The organization launched an investigation into her conduct and, one year later, it was reported that she had been dismissed.
I hadn't heard her name again until yesterday.
The organization launched an investigation into her conduct and, one year later, it was reported that she had been dismissed.
I hadn't heard her name again until yesterday.
How fitting that this person—whose dissemination of a falsehood to smear Israel was the subject of a UN investigation—has found a professional home in an organization dedicated to defaming Israel.
As you read the report, remember this story. These are the people behind HRW.
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As you read the report, remember this story. These are the people behind HRW.
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