SCHNEIDER STATEMENT ON AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REPORT

WASHINGTON – Rep. Brad Schneider (IL-10), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and co-founder and co-chair of the bipartisan, bicameral Abraham Accords Caucus, released the following statement on a report recently issued by Amnesty International: 

“The recently released Amnesty International report accusing Israel of genocidal intent in Gaza is deeply flawed, speculative and misleading. Its conclusions hinge on inferences rather than direct evidence and rely on ambiguous concepts such as ‘dual intent’ to fill gaps in the absence of proof, as the report itself admits.

Genocide is one of the gravest crimes under international law, requiring clear evidence of specific intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group. By the report's own acknowledgment, no such evidence exists. Instead, the report prejudicially interprets Israel’s military operations as genocidal, despite their clearly legal and legitimate purpose.

The gruesome attack on October 7, 2023 was an evil act of terror. Hamas barbarically murdered more than 1,200 people, including citizens of more than 30 nations, 46 Americans among them. More than 200 hostages were taken, including many U.S. citizens. 

In the aftermath of Hamas’s atrocities and continued threats against Israel, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has sought to dismantle Hamas’s military capabilities and supporting infrastructure, virtually all of which Hamas intentionally—and illegally—embeds within civilian populations. Suggesting genocidal intent in this context fundamentally misrepresents the realities of asymmetric warfare and utterly disregards Hamas’s direct and indirect responsibility for the suffering within Gaza.

Amnesty International’s report selectively quotes statements by Israeli officials, distorting their intent while disregarding the broader context. Notably, Amnesty International’s own Israel branch was excluded from the report’s preparation and has strongly rejected its conclusions. This glaring omission underscores the broader credibility issues surrounding Amnesty’s findings.

Despite its stated mission to uphold human rights, Amnesty International has repeatedly demonstrated a troubling pattern of applying double standards to the world’s only Jewish state, disproportionately scrutinizing Israel while routinely ignoring egregious abuses by others. Past reports have distorted international law, mischaracterized Israel’s democratic institutions, and misused or distorted terms like ‘apartheid’ to demonize the country. Such actions erode Amnesty’s credibility as a global human rights advocate and distract from its important mission.

We can all agree that protecting and providing humanitarian relief for civilians caught in the middle of the fighting between Hamas and Israel is of paramount importance. Israel has made substantial efforts to protect civilians throughout its military operations, including issuing evacuation notices, facilitating humanitarian corridors and ensuring aid delivery even amidst the dangers posed by Hamas’s actions. In Congress, I have worked tirelessly to support the humanitarian needs of Palestinians while safeguarding Israel’s security. Within days of Hamas’s attack and Israel’s subsequent entry into Gaza, I led a letter joined by 107 of my colleagues to Egypt’s Ambassador to the United States urging swift opening of the Rafah border crossing to ensure the delivery of life-saving aid to Gaza. In recent months, through the bipartisan Gaza Working Group, I have advocated for expanding humanitarian corridors to provide critical supplies to those in need.

We must not allow the inflammatory and biased Amnesty International report to deter us from our shared goal: seeking a peaceful, secure future for Israelis and Palestinians alike. I call on my colleagues and the international community to reject these unsubstantiated allegations and focus on sincere, practical steps to address the conflict’s tragic humanitarian toll. Together, we must strive to end the conflict in Gaza, to ensure sufficient and sustained humanitarian aid is delivered to civilians whose lives have been upended by the fighting and to help chart a path to recovery and renewal for all people of the region. We must also continuously counter the persistent threat of terrorism from the enemies of peace. By addressing these issues with clarity and shared purpose, we can lay the groundwork for a lasting peace that respects the rights and security of all.” 

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