In voting against halting weapons sales to Israel, the U.S. Senate has made a right and just choice. No country should be limited in its defense capabilities, expected to tolerate thousands of rockets and missiles directed at civilians—often with deadly results.
Since Oct. 7, 2023, more than 26,000 rockets have rained down on Israel, and vast stockpiles of weapons—long-range missiles, RPGs, drones, mortar shells, grenades and other lethal munitions—have been uncovered in Gaza and Southern Lebanon.
From the perspectives of human rights and international law, Israel has the right, and the obligation, to take self-defense measures to stop these attacks and protect its citizens.
Unfortunately, there is still a long road ahead as NGOs around the world have intensified their decades-old and one-sided calls for arms embargoes against the Jewish state. Rather than using law and international justice frameworks to support victims of terror, these political NGOs invent false narratives of genocide, starvation and other war crimes in an attempt to deny Israel’s right to defend its citizens.
Sadly, a growing number of government officials are falling for this dangerous propaganda. More disturbing are governments that simply stopped sending arms to Israel. French President Emmanuel Macron recently called for halting arms deliveries to Israel. Canada and the United Kingdom have also banned or restricted certain arms sales, and in February, the Netherlands and Belgium suspended ammunition exports to Israel. Italy reportedly ceased arms shipments after Oct. 7.
This international policy stampede is orchestrated through powerful NGO campaigns. “Respected” groups like Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Oxfam with anti-Israel biases have been relentless in their efforts to cut off military funding, halt arms sales and undermine Israel’s defense systems, including the Iron Dome, which protects civilians from lethal rockets, missiles and UAVs. The NGOs have filed lawsuits, staged protests and exerted immense pressure on governments to cease military aid.
In November 2023, for example, just weeks after the brutal Hamas atrocities in southern Israel, Human Rights Watch demanded that Israel’s allies—the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Germany—suspend military assistance, repeating entirely false allegations of war crimes. In December, the organization called for an immediate halt to arms transfers from the United Kingdom to Israel, followed in February by a statement accusing Israel of crimes against humanity and urging the U.S. government to impose sanctions.
As the lobbying intensified, the Dutch Court of Appeal ruled that the Netherlands must cease the transfer of U.S.-owned F-35 components to Israel, a legal milestone brought about by a lawsuit led by Oxfam and other NGOs. By June, Amnesty was actively pursuing legal measures to stop arms exports to Israel, while Oxfam was lobbying for “all available measures” to block military sales. Over the summer, these coordinated efforts culminated in multiple legal actions across Europe, highlighting the systematic NGO push to isolate Israel militarily.
This isn’t advocacy for peace; it’s a concerted attempt to leave Israel defenseless.
This time last year, NGOs, including two linked to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine terror group, filed a federal lawsuit against the Biden administration in an attempt to force a comprehensive arms embargo against Israel. Although the lawsuit failed, the question is whether the outgoing Biden administration will adopt a wider policy of arms embargoes against Israel. Additionally, it remains to be seen if and how President-elect Donald Trump will counter ongoing NGO-led efforts aimed at weakening U.S. support for Israel’s security.
If these NGOs succeed, whether by lawsuit or lobbying, they and leaders that supported them or were swayed by them in their decision-making will be responsible for crippling Israel’s security infrastructure and emboldening Iran and its proxies. The NGOs’ vision is one where Israel is exposed to the very real and ongoing threats at its borders, a danger that could spread unchecked across the region if not stopped.
The inconsistencies in the NGO community’s selective stance become even more apparent when considering the human toll of their actions. They disregard the rights and lives of Israeli civilians who depend on defense systems to shield them from constant threats.
In their quest to impose sanctions against Israel, these NGOs are contributing to a situation that could lead to more, not less, bloodshed.
Instead of embracing their hypocrisy, responsible governments should be holding NGOs accountable. Those working with them, including government and private donors, must demand transparency, reject double standards and foster a dialogue that does not automatically demonize Israel, including the role of terrorism and the need to defend against it, in the Middle East. Only then can these groups be credited with promoting a vision where all civilians can live free from violence.
