• Omar Shakir resigns as HRW director over a blocked report on Palestinian refugees' right of return.
• Shakir accuses HRW leadership of "cooking the books" and succumbing to political fears.
• The report, which was nearly published, classified Israel's actions as "crimes against humanity".
• Over 200 HRW staff protested the decision, highlighting concerns about organizational credibility.
• The HRW leadership states that further review is needed before publication.

Omar Shakir, the Israel-Palestine director of Human Rights Watch (HRW), has resigned in protest after the organization reportedly blocked a report labeling Israel's denial of Palestinian refugees' right of return as a "crime against humanity." Shakir expressed that the decision deviated from standard review processes and indicated the leadership's fear of political repercussions rather than genuine legal or factual concerns, stating, "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," according to Al Jazeera, Middle East Eye, and AA.

The report, titled "'Our Souls Are in the Homes We Left': Israel’s Denial of Palestinians’ Right to Return and Crimes Against Humanity," documented the plight of displaced Palestinians and was in the final stages of publication. Shakir stated the report had undergone substantial review and preparation, including coding for HRW’s website and preparations for a press announcement, indicating that the publication process was far from rushed. He articulated concerns that narrowing the report's focus to recent displacements compromised its legal arguments and silenced historical narratives, according to Middle East Eye and AA.

Shakir's resignation was accompanied by that of assistant researcher Milena Ansari, and it sparked protests from over 200 HRW staff members concerned about the implications of delaying the report. This collective dissent highlights the tension between maintaining the organization’s credibility and the challenges posed by its leadership’s decisions. While HRW leadership cited the necessity for further analysis due to the report's "complex and consequential issues," Shakir countered that any legitimate concerns had been addressed thoroughly prior to the blocking, emphasizing the urgent need for principled human rights advocacy, according to Al Jazeera, Middle East Eye, and AA.