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Kenneth Roth

January 01, 1970

Kenneth Roth (born September 23, 1955) is an American attorney, human rights activist, and writer. He was the executive director of Human Rights Watch (HRW) from 1993 to 2022.

Kenneth Roth
Roth during the Munich Security Conference, 2018
Born (1955-09-23) September 23, 1955 (age 68)
Elmhurst, Illinois, U.S.
EducationBrown University (BA)
Yale University (JD)
Known forExecutive director of Human Rights Watch
Spouse
Annie Sparrow
​
(m. 2011)​

Early life edit

Kenneth Roth was born on September 23, 1955, in Elmhurst, Illinois, to Muriel T. Roth and Walter S. Roth. His father was a Jewish refugee who fled Nazi Germany.[1][2][3] Walter's family had a butchery in Germany near Frankfurt when Adolf Hitler came to power.

Kenneth Roth grew up in Deerfield, Illinois.[4] He graduated from Brown University in 1977 with a BA in history[1] and received his Juris Doctor from Yale Law School in 1980.[5]

On June 13, 2011, Roth was married in an Anglican church to Annie Sparrow.[3]

Career edit

 
Roth in 2012

Roth worked in private practice as a litigator and served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the United States Department of Justice for the Southern District of New York and the Iran-Contra investigation in Washington DC.[6] Roth's career in human rights began inauspiciously. The one human rights course offered at Yale Law School was repeatedly canceled, and upon graduation he found that jobs in the field were few. As a result, as he worked as a lawyer, and volunteered nights and weekends doing human rights work, focusing on[7] the Soviet imposition of martial law in Poland in 1981.[8]

Roth joined Human Rights Watch (HRW) in 1987 as deputy director. His initial work centered on Haiti[9] and gradually extended to Cuba[10] and the Middle East,[11] among other places.

Since 1993 (when Aryeh Neier left to become head of George Soros's Open Society Institute), Roth became the executive director[6] of HRW. While he was in the office, the HRW staff increased from 60 to 552; HRW shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997 for banning of anti-personnel mines, helped to establish International Criminal Court and ban children in the military. Roth resigned from HRW on 31 August 2022.[12] After leaving HRW, Roth said he intended to write a book.[4]

Roth received honorary degrees from Brown University,[13] Bowdoin College,[14] the University of Ottawa,[15] and the American University of Paris.[16] He was a recipient of the Athens Democracy Award,[17] the William Rogers Award[18] from Brown University and the Jean Mayer Global Citizenship Award[19] from Tufts University. He serves on the Watson Institute Board of Overseers[20] at Brown University, the Board of Governors of Bard College Berlin,[21] and the Humanitarian and Development Advisory Panel of the Novo Nordisk Foundation.[22]

Controversies edit

See also: Criticism of Human Rights Watch

Remarks on Israel's policies edit

Following a 2006 HRW report on the 2006 Lebanon war, Roth wrote a letter to the editor of The New York Sun in which he criticized the Israeli response to Hezbollah's rocket attacks on northern Israeli towns by quoting the Old Testament: "An eye for an eye—or, more accurately in this case, twenty eyes for an eye—may have been the morality of some more primitive moment."[23] In reaction, the Anti-Defamation League accused him of using a "classic anti-Semitic stereotype against Jews". A following editorial in The New York Sun decried the statement: "To suggest that Judaism is a primitive religion incompatible with contemporary morality is to engage in supersessionism, the de-legitimization of Judaism, the basis of much antisemitism". Georgetown law professor and columnist Rosa Brooks called this criticism of Roth an example of reflexive labeling of criticism of Israel as antisemitism, and said that anyone accusing Roth of antisemitism must be "insane".[24]

HRW founder Robert Bernstein said to The Jerusalem Post in April 2011 that in relation to the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict, which issued the Goldstone Report, Roth "seeks to minimize the importance of Judge Goldstone's stunning retraction of his war crime accusations against Israel."[25] Bernstein said of Roth, "it is time for him to follow Judge Goldstone's example and issue his own mea culpa."[25] On 14 April 2011, the U.N report's three other co-authors released a joint statement criticizing Goldstone's partial recantation.[26]

In 2014, Roth tweeted, "Germans rally against anti-Semitism that flared in Europe in response to Israel's conduct in Gaza war. Merkel joins." Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic criticized Roth, saying Roth "blame[d] the Jewish state for the violent acts of anti-Semites" and that "it is a universal and immutable rule that the targets of prejudice are not the cause of prejudice."[27] Raphael Magarik disagreed with Goldberg in an opinion for The Forward, writing "denying that Israel’s behavior has any causal role in anti-Semitism is deeply counter-intuitive."[28] Michael Rubin, of the American Enterprise Institute called for Roth to step down stating that he "appears increasingly intent to subordinate the organization he leads to a much more limited and subjective political agenda."[29] Roth also tweeted a controversial advertisement equating the war with "Nazi genocide" followed by the Holocaust tagline "Never again". United States Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Anti-Semitism Deborah Lipstadt called this language "soft-core denigration of the Holocaust".[30] In April 2015, Steven A. Cook, the Hasib J. Sabbagh senior fellow for Middle Eastern Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, criticized Roth for his tweets critical of Israel, which sent humanitarian aid to Nepal during the April 2015 Nepal earthquake. Roth tweeted, "Easier to address a far-away humanitarian disaster than the nearby one of Israel's making in Gaza. End the blockade!" [31] In a 2017 opinion for The Forward, Daniel Kohn claimed that Roth had established a Middle East/North Africa (MENA) team composed of what he termed anti-Israel activists.[32] In 2020, the Algemeiner Journal wrote, "Roth has long been noted for his hatred of Israel and his use of antisemitic rhetoric to attack it."[33]

In 2021, Roth tweeted: "Antisemitism is always wrong, and it long preceded the creation of Israel, but the surge in UK antisemitic incidents during the recent Gaza conflict gives the lie to those who pretend that the Israeli government's conduct doesn't affect antisemitism." American Jewish Committee director David Harris responded: "No, antisemitism is always wrong, period. Just as racism is always wrong, period. Coming from an alleged human rights defender, totally & utterly despicable".[34] The Anti-Defamation League said: "blaming Israel for the recent rise in violent antisemitic incidents, instead of blaming the antisemitic actors themselves, is plainly false and offensive"[35] The Community Security Trust said: "Kenneth Roth's tweet is a typical example of how Israel, Jews and antisemitism appear to be treated differently to other types of racism". After the backlash, Roth deleted his post, tweeting, "I deleted an earlier tweet because people misinterpreted its wording",[36] but did not apologize, writing, "Interesting how many people pretend that this tweet justifies antisemitism (it doesn't and I don't under any circumstances), rather than address the correlation…between recent Israeli government conduct in Gaza and the rise of UK antisemitic incidents."[37]

Remarks on Harvard Kennedy School edit

In 2021, Roth was offered a fellowship at the Harvard Kennedy School's Carr Center for Human Rights Policy. The offer was withdrawn in 2023. Roth said that the withdrawal was because of his criticism of Israel.[38] Michael Massing reported Roth's claims in the Nation.[39] Roth told the Guardian and Amy Goodman on Democracy Now that he believed Harvard Kennedy School dean Douglas Elmendorf had capitulated to Harvard's donors who are strong supporters of Israel. Kennedy school professor Kathryn Sikkink said she was told that Elmendorf thought Human Rights Watch has an "anti-Israel bias" and that Roth’s tweets on Israel were concerning, points she disputed with the dean.[39][40][41] Following Roth's complaint, the ACLU, Pen America, and other human rights activists condemned the Kennedy School's decision.[42] On January 10, 2023, HRW published a letter to Harvard President Lawrence Bacow that said it was concerned about a "lasting impact on scholars and activists, particularly Palestinians, who should not have to fear professional repercussions from Harvard University or another institution if they write or speak critically about the Israeli government".[43] Following those reports, hundreds of Harvard affiliates called on Elmendorf to resign.[44]

On January 19, 2023, The Kennedy School, which denies Roth's allegations,[45] reversed its decision, reoffering Roth the fellowship.[46] Elmendorf said that his initial decision had been in "error" and was not intended "to limit debate at the Kennedy School about human rights in any country".[47] Roth responded that Elmendorf failed to say anything to identify the people "who matter to him" who he said were behind his original veto decision. "Full transparency is key to ensuring that such influence is not exerted in other cases", Roth said, adding: "Secondly, I remain worried about academic freedom. Given my three decades leading Human Rights Watch, I was able to shine an intense spotlight on Dean Elmendorf’s decision, but what about others? The problem of people penalized for criticizing Israel is not limited to me."[48]

In the fall of 2023, Roth joined the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs as a lecturer and the Charles and Marie Robertson Visiting Professor.[49]

Rwanda genocide edit

In 2010, Fred Oluoch-Ojiwah of Rwanda's New Times questioned Roth's impartiality and equated Roth's criticism of Rwanda's human rights record to a "love affair" with the "genocidaires" that carried out the Rwandan Genocide of 1994.[50]

In a later article, Oluoch-Ojiwah wrote: "As a western human rights personality [Roth]... will always fail to understand the intricacies and complexities surrounding the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi. Wrapping it up simplistically the way he has done will only serve to undo the gains already registered in driving the very delicate process of bringing forth a new dispensation in Rwanda and by extension the African Great Lakes region."[51]

Acceptance of donation with non-LGBT rights provision edit

In 2013, HRW accepted a $487,000 gift from Saudi billionaire Mohamed Bin Issa Al Jaber. The donation was solicited and managed by Roth. The donor had been the subject of HRW investigation up through 2012 for coercive business practices. Roth agreed to the Saudi demand that HRW not use this donation to support LGBT rights advocacy in the Middle East and North Africa.[52]

In 2020, HRW returned the donation to the Saudi billionaire.[52] Acceptance of this donation by Roth led to internal disputes over whether this violated HRW ethics policies and over Roth's decision-making, though it did not affect Roth's status at HRW.[52]

Denied entry edit

Egypt edit

In 2014, the Egyptian government blocked Roth from entering the country.[53] He was traveling to Egypt to release a report on its government's August 2013 Rabaa massacre[54] of 817 sit-in protesters.[55]

China edit

In December 2019, China announced unspecified sanctions against HRW and several other NGOs because of links to the Hong Kong democracy movement.[56] In January 2020, Roth said that he was denied entry to Hong Kong.[57] He was planning to launch the organization's World Report,[58] which had an essay saying China is a growing threat to human rights around the world.[59] Geng Shuang, a spokesman for China's foreign ministry, told reporters he would not read the report, accusing Human Rights Watch of distorting the truth and claiming China's human rights situation is “the best it's been in history.”[60] In August 2020, the Chinese government announced that it had imposed unspecified “sanctions” on Roth.[61]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Tyranny Has a Witness". www.brownalumnimagazine.com. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  2. ^ "National Security in a Turbulent World - Yale Law School". law.yale.edu. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  3. ^ a b "Annie Sparrow, Kenneth Roth (Published 2011)". The New York Times. June 17, 2011. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  4. ^ a b Khan, Aina J. (April 26, 2022). "Kenneth Roth, 'Godfather' of Human Rights Work, to Step Down". New York Times. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  5. ^ "Ken Roth Executive Director". Human Rights Watch. 2004.
  6. ^ a b . The University of Winnipeg. Archived from the original on July 25, 2011. Retrieved September 9, 2009.
  7. ^ "Human Rights Watch". socialsciences.in. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  8. ^ Roth, Kenneth; Orentlicher, Diane (September 9, 2009). Repression Disguised as Law: Human Rights in Poland (9780934143158): Kenneth M. Roth: Books. ISBN 978-0934143158.
  9. ^ More by Kenneth Roth (March 26, 1992). "Haiti: The Shadows of Terror by Kenneth Roth". The New York Review of Books. Nybooks.com. Retrieved February 7, 2011.
  10. ^ "INTRODUCTION TO THE WORK OF AMERICAS WATCH". hrw.org. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  11. ^ "Kuwait: Human Rights after February 28, 1991" (PDF). justice.gov. March 1992.
  12. ^ Atukunda, Roger (September 4, 2022). "Kenneth Roth leaves Human Rights watch after 30 years, Tirana Hassan named Interim Executive Director". softpower.ug. SoftPower News. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  13. ^ "Brown to confer 10 honorary doctorates May 29". News from Brown. Brown University. April 27, 2011. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  14. ^ "Honorary Degrees". Office of the President. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  15. ^ "Roth, Kenneth". Office of the President. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  16. ^ "Honorary Degree Recipients". www.aup.edu. November 9, 2016. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  17. ^ "City of Athens Democracy Award". Athens Democracy Forum. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  18. ^ "The William Rogers Award". Alumni & Friends, Brown University. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  19. ^ "Institute for Global Leadership, Tufts University 2004-05 Annual Report" (PDF).
  20. ^ "Board of Governors. Watson Institute". Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  21. ^ "Governance at Bard College Berlin". berlin.bard.edu. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  22. ^ "Novo Nordisk Foundation establishes a new advisory panel for its humanitarian grants". Novo Nordisk Fonden. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  23. ^ Rosenfeld, Alvin Hirsch (January 9, 2019). Anti-Zionism and Antisemitism: The Dynamics of Delegitimization. Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-03872-2. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  24. ^ John J. Mearsheimer; Stephen M. Walt (2007). The Israel Lobby and US Foreign Policy. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. p. 329. ISBN 9780374531508.
  25. ^ a b "At 88, a man of morals starts over". The Jerusalem Post.
  26. ^ "Authors reject calls to retract Goldstone report on Gaza". Agence France-Presse. April 14, 2011. Archived from the original on January 3, 2013. Retrieved April 17, 2011.
  27. ^ Jeffrey Goldberg (September 21, 2014). "Does Human Rights Watch Understand the Nature of Prejudice?". The Atlantic.
  28. ^ Magarik, Raphael (September 24, 2014). "Do Jewish Actions Ever Cause Anti-Semitism?". The Forward.
  29. ^ "Can Human Rights Watch be salvaged?". American Enterprise Institute. October 23, 2014.
  30. ^ Alvin H. Rosenfeld (January 9, 2019). Anti-Zionism and Antisemitism: The Dynamics of Delegitimization. Indiana University Press.
  31. ^ Steven A. Cook (2015). "Why Is Israel Criticized for Helping Nepal Earthquake Victims?". Newsweek.
  32. ^ Daniel Kohn (September 8, 2017). "Opinion: Human Rights Watch Tweet Exposes Decades-Old Anti Israel Bias". The Forward.
  33. ^ "Head of Human Rights Watch Skewered on Twitter for Peace-Hating Rant Belittling Israel-UAE Accord". Algemeiner.com. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  34. ^ "HRW director accused of justifying antisemitism on Twitter". The Jerusalem Post. July 19, 2021.
  35. ^ "Human Rights Watch Director Tweet Blames Israeli Gov't for Rise in UK Antisemitism". jewishjournal. July 2021.
  36. ^ "Head of Human Rights Watch accused of 'excusing' antisemitism". Jewish News. July 20, 2021.
  37. ^ Cohen, Michael A. (January 19, 2023). "How a Harvard Fellowship Flap Spawned Israel Conspiracy Theories" – via www.thedailybeast.com.
  38. ^ "Kenneth Roth had a Harvard fellowship offer. Was it rejected for his view on Israel?". npr. January 18, 2023. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  39. ^ a b Massing, Michael (January 5, 2023). "Why the Godfather of Human Rights Is Not Welcome at Harvard". The Nation. ISSN 0027-8378. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  40. ^ "Harvard blocks role for former Human Rights Watch head over Israel criticism". the Guardian. January 6, 2023.
  41. ^ Harvard Faces Outcry for Rescinding Post to Ex-Head of Human Rights Watch over Criticism of Israel, retrieved January 9, 2023
  42. ^ "Harvard Kennedy School condemned for denying fellowship to Israel critic". the Guardian. January 8, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  43. ^ Staff, The New Arab (January 11, 2023). "HRW 'concerned' after ex-director loses Harvard offer". The New Arab.
  44. ^ "Hundreds Call for Resignation of Harvard Kennedy School Dean Accused of Blocking Fellowship Over Israel Criticism | News | The Harvard Crimson". www.thecrimson.com.
  45. ^ "Harvard Reinstates Offer to Ex-Human Rights Watch Chief After Israel Controversy." The Times of Israel | News from Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, 19 Jan. 2023, www.timesofisrael.com/harvard-reinstates-offer-to-ex-human-rights-watch-chief-after-israel-controversy/.
  46. ^ Schuessler, Jennifer; Tracy, Marc (January 19, 2023). "Harvard Reverses Course on Human Rights Advocate Who Criticized Israel" – via NYTimes.com.
  47. ^ Staff, Al Jazeera. "Harvard reverses course, will offer former HRW chief a fellowship". www.aljazeera.com.
  48. ^ "Harvard reverses decision on role for Israel critic after outcry". the Guardian. January 19, 2023.
  49. ^ "Behind The Research: Kenneth Roth Champions Universal Human Rights". Princeton Alumni Weekly. December 27, 2023. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  50. ^ “Rwanda: Is Kenneth Roth in Love With Genocidaires?” by Fred Oluoch-Ojiwah, 26 April 2010, AllAfrica.com
  51. ^ “2nd Open Letter to Kenneth Roth: Rwanda will not be a political play field”, by Fred Oluoch-Ojiwah, New Times.
  52. ^ a b c Emmons, Alex (March 2, 2020). "Human Rights Watch Took Money From Saudi Businessman After Documenting His Coercive Labor Practices". The Intercept. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  53. ^ "Egypt: Human Rights Watch Delegation Refused Entry". Human Rights Watch. August 11, 2014. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  54. ^ "All According to Plan". Human Rights Watch. August 12, 2014. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  55. ^ "Egyptian security forces 'planned massacre,' says HRW". BBC News. August 12, 2014. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  56. ^ Shih, Gerry. "China announces sanctions against U.S.-based nonprofit groups in response to Congress's Hong Kong legislation". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  57. ^ Vigdor, Neil; Ramzy, Austin (January 13, 2020). "Hong Kong Denies Entry to Human Rights Watch Director, Group Says". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  58. ^ "World Report 2020". Human Rights Watch. November 25, 2019. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  59. ^ "World Report 2020: Rights Trends in China's Global Threat to Human Rights". Human Rights Watch. January 3, 2020. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  60. ^ "Human Rights Watch report blasts China as its chief barred from Hong Kong". Reuters. January 15, 2020. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  61. ^ "China Hits U.S. Officials With Sanctions, Avoids Top Trump Aides". Bloomberg.com. August 10, 2020. Retrieved March 29, 2021.

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kenneth Roth.

January 01, 1970
kenneth, roth, born, september, 1955, american, attorney, human, rights, activist, writer, executive, director, human, rights, watch, from, 1993, 2022, roth, during, munich, security, conference, 2018born, 1955, september, 1955, elmhurst, illinois, educationbr. Kenneth Roth born September 23 1955 is an American attorney human rights activist and writer He was the executive director of Human Rights Watch HRW from 1993 to 2022 Kenneth RothRoth during the Munich Security Conference 2018Born 1955 09 23 September 23 1955 age 68 Elmhurst Illinois U S EducationBrown University BA Yale University JD Known forExecutive director of Human Rights WatchSpouseAnnie Sparrow m 2011 wbr Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Controversies 3 1 Remarks on Israel s policies 3 1 1 Remarks on Harvard Kennedy School 3 2 Rwanda genocide 3 3 Acceptance of donation with non LGBT rights provision 3 4 Denied entry 3 4 1 Egypt 3 4 2 China 4 References 5 External linksEarly life editKenneth Roth was born on September 23 1955 in Elmhurst Illinois to Muriel T Roth and Walter S Roth His father was a Jewish refugee who fled Nazi Germany 1 2 3 Walter s family had a butchery in Germany near Frankfurt when Adolf Hitler came to power Kenneth Roth grew up in Deerfield Illinois 4 He graduated from Brown University in 1977 with a BA in history 1 and received his Juris Doctor from Yale Law School in 1980 5 On June 13 2011 Roth was married in an Anglican church to Annie Sparrow 3 Career edit nbsp Roth in 2012 Roth worked in private practice as a litigator and served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the United States Department of Justice for the Southern District of New York and the Iran Contra investigation in Washington DC 6 Roth s career in human rights began inauspiciously The one human rights course offered at Yale Law School was repeatedly canceled and upon graduation he found that jobs in the field were few As a result as he worked as a lawyer and volunteered nights and weekends doing human rights work focusing on 7 the Soviet imposition of martial law in Poland in 1981 8 Roth joined Human Rights Watch HRW in 1987 as deputy director His initial work centered on Haiti 9 and gradually extended to Cuba 10 and the Middle East 11 among other places Since 1993 when Aryeh Neier left to become head of George Soros s Open Society Institute Roth became the executive director 6 of HRW While he was in the office the HRW staff increased from 60 to 552 HRW shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997 for banning of anti personnel mines helped to establish International Criminal Court and ban children in the military Roth resigned from HRW on 31 August 2022 12 After leaving HRW Roth said he intended to write a book 4 Roth received honorary degrees from Brown University 13 Bowdoin College 14 the University of Ottawa 15 and the American University of Paris 16 He was a recipient of the Athens Democracy Award 17 the William Rogers Award 18 from Brown University and the Jean Mayer Global Citizenship Award 19 from Tufts University He serves on the Watson Institute Board of Overseers 20 at Brown University the Board of Governors of Bard College Berlin 21 and the Humanitarian and Development Advisory Panel of the Novo Nordisk Foundation 22 Controversies editThe neutrality of this section is disputed Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page Please do not remove this message until conditions to do so are met January 2023 Learn how and when to remove this template message See also Criticism of Human Rights Watch Remarks on Israel s policies edit Following a 2006 HRW report on the 2006 Lebanon war Roth wrote a letter to the editor of The New York Sun in which he criticized the Israeli response to Hezbollah s rocket attacks on northern Israeli towns by quoting the Old Testament An eye for an eye or more accurately in this case twenty eyes for an eye may have been the morality of some more primitive moment 23 In reaction the Anti Defamation League accused him of using a classic anti Semitic stereotype against Jews A following editorial in The New York Sun decried the statement To suggest that Judaism is a primitive religion incompatible with contemporary morality is to engage in supersessionism the de legitimization of Judaism the basis of much antisemitism Georgetown law professor and columnist Rosa Brooks called this criticism of Roth an example of reflexive labeling of criticism of Israel as antisemitism and said that anyone accusing Roth of antisemitism must be insane 24 HRW founder Robert Bernstein said to The Jerusalem Post in April 2011 that in relation to the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict which issued the Goldstone Report Roth seeks to minimize the importance of Judge Goldstone s stunning retraction of his war crime accusations against Israel 25 Bernstein said of Roth it is time for him to follow Judge Goldstone s example and issue his own mea culpa 25 On 14 April 2011 the U N report s three other co authors released a joint statement criticizing Goldstone s partial recantation 26 In 2014 Roth tweeted Germans rally against anti Semitism that flared in Europe in response to Israel s conduct in Gaza war Merkel joins Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic criticized Roth saying Roth blame d the Jewish state for the violent acts of anti Semites and that it is a universal and immutable rule that the targets of prejudice are not the cause of prejudice 27 Raphael Magarik disagreed with Goldberg in an opinion for The Forward writing denying that Israel s behavior has any causal role in anti Semitism is deeply counter intuitive 28 Michael Rubin of the American Enterprise Institute called for Roth to step down stating that he appears increasingly intent to subordinate the organization he leads to a much more limited and subjective political agenda 29 Roth also tweeted a controversial advertisement equating the war with Nazi genocide followed by the Holocaust tagline Never again United States Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Anti Semitism Deborah Lipstadt called this language soft core denigration of the Holocaust 30 In April 2015 Steven A Cook the Hasib J Sabbagh senior fellow for Middle Eastern Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations criticized Roth for his tweets critical of Israel which sent humanitarian aid to Nepal during the April 2015 Nepal earthquake Roth tweeted Easier to address a far away humanitarian disaster than the nearby one of Israel s making in Gaza End the blockade 31 In a 2017 opinion for The Forward Daniel Kohn claimed that Roth had established a Middle East North Africa MENA team composed of what he termed anti Israel activists 32 In 2020 the Algemeiner Journal wrote Roth has long been noted for his hatred of Israel and his use of antisemitic rhetoric to attack it 33 In 2021 Roth tweeted Antisemitism is always wrong and it long preceded the creation of Israel but the surge in UK antisemitic incidents during the recent Gaza conflict gives the lie to those who pretend that the Israeli government s conduct doesn t affect antisemitism American Jewish Committee director David Harris responded No antisemitism is always wrong period Just as racism is always wrong period Coming from an alleged human rights defender totally amp utterly despicable 34 The Anti Defamation League said blaming Israel for the recent rise in violent antisemitic incidents instead of blaming the antisemitic actors themselves is plainly false and offensive 35 The Community Security Trust said Kenneth Roth s tweet is a typical example of how Israel Jews and antisemitism appear to be treated differently to other types of racism After the backlash Roth deleted his post tweeting I deleted an earlier tweet because people misinterpreted its wording 36 but did not apologize writing Interesting how many people pretend that this tweet justifies antisemitism it doesn t and I don t under any circumstances rather than address the correlation between recent Israeli government conduct in Gaza and the rise of UK antisemitic incidents 37 Remarks on Harvard Kennedy School edit In 2021 Roth was offered a fellowship at the Harvard Kennedy School s Carr Center for Human Rights Policy The offer was withdrawn in 2023 Roth said that the withdrawal was because of his criticism of Israel 38 Michael Massing reported Roth s claims in the Nation 39 Roth told the Guardian and Amy Goodman on Democracy Now that he believed Harvard Kennedy School dean Douglas Elmendorf had capitulated to Harvard s donors who are strong supporters of Israel Kennedy school professor Kathryn Sikkink said she was told that Elmendorf thought Human Rights Watch has an anti Israel bias and that Roth s tweets on Israel were concerning points she disputed with the dean 39 40 41 Following Roth s complaint the ACLU Pen America and other human rights activists condemned the Kennedy School s decision 42 On January 10 2023 HRW published a letter to Harvard President Lawrence Bacow that said it was concerned about a lasting impact on scholars and activists particularly Palestinians who should not have to fear professional repercussions from Harvard University or another institution if they write or speak critically about the Israeli government 43 Following those reports hundreds of Harvard affiliates called on Elmendorf to resign 44 On January 19 2023 The Kennedy School which denies Roth s allegations 45 reversed its decision reoffering Roth the fellowship 46 Elmendorf said that his initial decision had been in error and was not intended to limit debate at the Kennedy School about human rights in any country 47 Roth responded that Elmendorf failed to say anything to identify the people who matter to him who he said were behind his original veto decision Full transparency is key to ensuring that such influence is not exerted in other cases Roth said adding Secondly I remain worried about academic freedom Given my three decades leading Human Rights Watch I was able to shine an intense spotlight on Dean Elmendorf s decision but what about others The problem of people penalized for criticizing Israel is not limited to me 48 In the fall of 2023 Roth joined the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs as a lecturer and the Charles and Marie Robertson Visiting Professor 49 Rwanda genocide edit In 2010 Fred Oluoch Ojiwah of Rwanda s New Times questioned Roth s impartiality and equated Roth s criticism of Rwanda s human rights record to a love affair with the genocidaires that carried out the Rwandan Genocide of 1994 50 In a later article Oluoch Ojiwah wrote As a western human rights personality Roth will always fail to understand the intricacies and complexities surrounding the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi Wrapping it up simplistically the way he has done will only serve to undo the gains already registered in driving the very delicate process of bringing forth a new dispensation in Rwanda and by extension the African Great Lakes region 51 Acceptance of donation with non LGBT rights provision edit In 2013 HRW accepted a 487 000 gift from Saudi billionaire Mohamed Bin Issa Al Jaber The donation was solicited and managed by Roth The donor had been the subject of HRW investigation up through 2012 for coercive business practices Roth agreed to the Saudi demand that HRW not use this donation to support LGBT rights advocacy in the Middle East and North Africa 52 In 2020 HRW returned the donation to the Saudi billionaire 52 Acceptance of this donation by Roth led to internal disputes over whether this violated HRW ethics policies and over Roth s decision making though it did not affect Roth s status at HRW 52 Denied entry edit Egypt edit In 2014 the Egyptian government blocked Roth from entering the country 53 He was traveling to Egypt to release a report on its government s August 2013 Rabaa massacre 54 of 817 sit in protesters 55 China edit In December 2019 China announced unspecified sanctions against HRW and several other NGOs because of links to the Hong Kong democracy movement 56 In January 2020 Roth said that he was denied entry to Hong Kong 57 He was planning to launch the organization s World Report 58 which had an essay saying China is a growing threat to human rights around the world 59 Geng Shuang a spokesman for China s foreign ministry told reporters he would not read the report accusing Human Rights Watch of distorting the truth and claiming China s human rights situation is the best it s been in history 60 In August 2020 the Chinese government announced that it had imposed unspecified sanctions on Roth 61 References edit a b Tyranny Has a Witness www brownalumnimagazine com Retrieved April 26 2021 National Security in a Turbulent World Yale Law School law yale edu Retrieved May 29 2019 a b Annie Sparrow Kenneth Roth Published 2011 The New York Times June 17 2011 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved February 19 2021 a b Khan Aina J April 26 2022 Kenneth Roth Godfather of Human Rights Work to Step Down New York Times Retrieved September 18 2022 Ken Roth Executive Director Human Rights Watch 2004 a b Kenneth Roth Biography The University of Winnipeg Archived from the original on July 25 2011 Retrieved September 9 2009 Human Rights Watch socialsciences in Retrieved March 18 2021 Roth Kenneth Orentlicher Diane September 9 2009 Repression Disguised as Law Human Rights in Poland 9780934143158 Kenneth M Roth Books ISBN 978 0934143158 More by Kenneth Roth March 26 1992 Haiti The Shadows of Terror by Kenneth Roth The New York Review of Books Nybooks com Retrieved February 7 2011 INTRODUCTION TO THE WORK OF AMERICAS WATCH hrw org Retrieved March 18 2021 Kuwait Human Rights after February 28 1991 PDF justice gov March 1992 Atukunda Roger September 4 2022 Kenneth Roth leaves Human Rights watch after 30 years Tirana Hassan named Interim Executive Director softpower ug SoftPower News Retrieved September 18 2022 Brown to confer 10 honorary doctorates May 29 News from Brown Brown University April 27 2011 Retrieved March 18 2021 Honorary Degrees Office of the President Retrieved March 18 2021 Roth Kenneth Office of the President Retrieved March 18 2021 Honorary Degree Recipients www aup edu November 9 2016 Retrieved March 18 2021 City of Athens Democracy Award Athens Democracy Forum Retrieved March 18 2021 The William Rogers Award Alumni amp Friends Brown University Retrieved March 18 2021 Institute for Global Leadership Tufts University 2004 05 Annual Report PDF Board of Governors Watson Institute Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs Retrieved March 18 2021 Governance at Bard College Berlin berlin bard edu Retrieved March 18 2021 Novo Nordisk Foundation establishes a new advisory panel for its humanitarian grants Novo Nordisk Fonden Retrieved March 18 2021 Rosenfeld Alvin Hirsch January 9 2019 Anti Zionism and Antisemitism The Dynamics of Delegitimization Indiana University Press ISBN 978 0 253 03872 2 Retrieved January 17 2023 John J Mearsheimer Stephen M Walt 2007 The Israel Lobby and US Foreign Policy Farrar Straus and Giroux p 329 ISBN 9780374531508 a b At 88 a man of morals starts over The Jerusalem Post Authors reject calls to retract Goldstone report on Gaza Agence France Presse April 14 2011 Archived from the original on January 3 2013 Retrieved April 17 2011 Jeffrey Goldberg September 21 2014 Does Human Rights Watch Understand the Nature of Prejudice The Atlantic Magarik Raphael September 24 2014 Do Jewish Actions Ever Cause Anti Semitism The Forward Can Human Rights Watch be salvaged American Enterprise Institute October 23 2014 Alvin H Rosenfeld January 9 2019 Anti Zionism and Antisemitism The Dynamics of Delegitimization Indiana University Press Steven A Cook 2015 Why Is Israel Criticized for Helping Nepal Earthquake Victims Newsweek Daniel Kohn September 8 2017 Opinion Human Rights Watch Tweet Exposes Decades Old Anti Israel Bias The Forward Head of Human Rights Watch Skewered on Twitter for Peace Hating Rant Belittling Israel UAE Accord Algemeiner com Retrieved April 20 2021 HRW director accused of justifying antisemitism on Twitter The Jerusalem Post July 19 2021 Human Rights Watch Director Tweet Blames Israeli Gov t for Rise in UK Antisemitism jewishjournal July 2021 Head of Human Rights Watch accused of excusing antisemitism Jewish News July 20 2021 Cohen Michael A January 19 2023 How a Harvard Fellowship Flap Spawned Israel Conspiracy Theories via www thedailybeast com Kenneth Roth had a Harvard fellowship offer Was it rejected for his view on Israel npr January 18 2023 Retrieved January 18 2023 a b Massing Michael January 5 2023 Why the Godfather of Human Rights Is Not Welcome at Harvard The Nation ISSN 0027 8378 Retrieved January 6 2023 Harvard blocks role for former Human Rights Watch head over Israel criticism the Guardian January 6 2023 Harvard Faces Outcry for Rescinding Post to Ex Head of Human Rights Watch over Criticism of Israel retrieved January 9 2023 Harvard Kennedy School condemned for denying fellowship to Israel critic the Guardian January 8 2023 Retrieved January 11 2023 Staff The New Arab January 11 2023 HRW concerned after ex director loses Harvard offer The New Arab Hundreds Call for Resignation of Harvard Kennedy School Dean Accused of Blocking Fellowship Over Israel Criticism News The Harvard Crimson www thecrimson com Harvard Reinstates Offer to Ex Human Rights Watch Chief After Israel Controversy The Times of Israel News from Israel the Middle East and the Jewish World 19 Jan 2023 www timesofisrael com harvard reinstates offer to ex human rights watch chief after israel controversy Schuessler Jennifer Tracy Marc January 19 2023 Harvard Reverses Course on Human Rights Advocate Who Criticized Israel via NYTimes com Staff Al Jazeera Harvard reverses course will offer former HRW chief a fellowship www aljazeera com Harvard reverses decision on role for Israel critic after outcry the Guardian January 19 2023 Behind The Research Kenneth Roth Champions Universal Human Rights Princeton Alumni Weekly December 27 2023 Retrieved March 29 2024 Rwanda Is Kenneth Roth in Love With Genocidaires by Fred Oluoch Ojiwah 26 April 2010 AllAfrica com 2nd Open Letter to Kenneth Roth Rwanda will not be a political play field by Fred Oluoch Ojiwah New Times a b c Emmons Alex March 2 2020 Human Rights Watch Took Money From Saudi Businessman After Documenting His Coercive Labor Practices The Intercept Retrieved April 26 2021 Egypt Human Rights Watch Delegation Refused Entry Human Rights Watch August 11 2014 Retrieved April 1 2021 All According to Plan Human Rights Watch August 12 2014 Retrieved April 1 2021 Egyptian security forces planned massacre says HRW BBC News August 12 2014 Retrieved April 1 2021 Shih Gerry China announces sanctions against U S based nonprofit groups in response to Congress s Hong Kong legislation Washington Post ISSN 0190 8286 Retrieved March 29 2021 Vigdor Neil Ramzy Austin January 13 2020 Hong Kong Denies Entry to Human Rights Watch Director Group Says The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved March 29 2021 World Report 2020 Human Rights Watch November 25 2019 Retrieved March 29 2021 World Report 2020 Rights Trends in China s Global Threat to Human Rights Human Rights Watch January 3 2020 Retrieved March 29 2021 Human Rights Watch report blasts China as its chief barred from Hong Kong Reuters January 15 2020 Retrieved March 29 2021 China Hits U S Officials With Sanctions Avoids Top Trump Aides Bloomberg com August 10 2020 Retrieved March 29 2021 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kenneth Roth Official HRW Biography of Kenneth Roth Lecture transcript and video of Roth s speech at the Joan B Kroc Institute for Peace amp Justice at the University of San Diego September 2007 Appearances on C SPAN Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kenneth Roth amp oldid 1216567150, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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