Criticism and Controversies Surrounding Unreliable B’Tselem

Criticism and Controversies Surrounding Unreliable B’Tselem.

Over the years, the Israeli NGO B'Tselem has faced extensive criticism from journalists, politicians, activists, researchers, and advocacy organizations who accuse it of political bias, manipulation of facts, cooperation with anti-Israel campaigns, incitement and reliance on foreign funding.

Early Criticism and Media Controversies.

A 2008 article in Ynet News titled “Collaborating with the enemy” criticized B’Tselem’s camera distribution project among Palestinians, claiming the organization selectively documented Israeli misconduct while ignoring Palestinian violence. The article described the initiative as part of a “propaganda cooperation with the enemy” and accused activists of orchestrating “photogenic provocations” against Israeli soldiers and settlers.

In another Ynet article from 2016, “A wakeup call for the left,” Ben-Dror Yemini pointed out that parts of the Israeli left had shifted from criticizing Israeli policy to opposing Israel itself. The article linked activist networks associated with B’Tselem and Ezra Nawi to broader campaigns of delegitimization.

Coverage in 2009 by Ruthie Avraham discussed support given by senior left-wing figures to Ezra Nawi (also a child molester) following his conviction for assaulting police officers. The report highlighted statements by former Deputy Attorney General Yehudit Karp, who defended Nawi and described him as a “redeemer and savior.”

Regarding Casualty Statistics and Investigative Methods.

B’Tselem has repeatedly faced criticism regarding the reliability of its casualty statistics and investigative methods.

A 2008 Ynet article titled “Bending the truth” accused B’Tselem of classifying Palestinian militants involved in attacks against Israelis as civilians killed by Israeli security forces. The article cited examples including Abdul Salaam Sadek Hassouneh and members of al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades.

In 2009, “B’Tselem Retracts False Report” in Israel National News reported that B’Tselem retracted claims accusing the IDF of killing innocent Arab civilians after evidence allegedly contradicted the original allegations.

A 2012 report republished in Ynet, “Case closed: ‘IDF did not commit war crimes in Gaza’,” discussed conclusions from Israeli military investigations rejecting allegations of war crimes during Operation Cast Lead.

Following the 2014 Gaza war, The Jerusalem Post reported that both NGO Monitor and the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center dismantled B’Tselem’s methodology for verifying casualty figures. Additional controversy emerged when Israel’s National-Civilian Service administration barred B’Tselem from participation, accusing the organization of spreading falsehoods internationally about Israel and the IDF.

In 2015, Jonathan D. Halevi wrote that B’Tselem “manipulates and distorts facts to defame Israel,” criticizing executive director Hagai El-Ad for accusing Israel and the IDF of deliberate war crimes during Operation Protective Edge.

Questions regarding B’Tselem’s classification of militants resurfaced in 2017 when Ynet reported that several Palestinians identified by Israel’s Shin Bet as terrorists were not labeled as such on B’Tselem’s website.

In October 2024, NGO Monitor published a critique of B’Tselem’s investigative practices following an Israeli court ruling in a defamation case involving a B’Tselem report. According to the report, the court concluded that allegations regarding the kidnapping and abuse of a Palestinian youth “did not occur” as described. NGO Monitor reminded that the ruling exposed serious flaws in B’Tselem’s verification procedures and reliance on uncorroborated testimonies.

Hypocrisy.

Human rights activist, Arab Palestinian Bassem Eid (born and raised in Jordanian occupied East Jerusalem, explains that he began his human-rights work at B'Tselem during the late 1980s. After the signing of the Oslo Accords, he broke with the organization (1995) because it chose not to investigate abuses committed by the Palestinian Authority against Palestinians. He reminds that human-rights organizations should oppose abuses regardless of who commits them. As a result, he founded a separate group. 

He emphasizes what he calls “raising awareness according to the realities on the ground.” He says his audience is primarily international students and foreign audiences rather than Palestinians themselves. He argues that media coverage of the conflict is distorted, sensationalized, and biased, and that many Palestinians who oppose violence or criticize Palestinian leadership are ignored by journalists, that the media is more interested in intensifying conflict than reducing it.

On university campuses, Eid says he encounters criticism from people who ask why he focuses so heavily on Palestinian leadership rather than blaming Israel. He responds that Palestinians must engage in self-criticism if they want national recognition and political development. He also criticizes disruptions of campus events and argues that universities should maintain order during lectures.

Eid strongly opposes BDS, that it's harmful both to Israel and to Palestinians. 

In a 2015 interview, Eid : "BDS members don't dare enter the Balata camp in Nablus because they fear they'll 'make meatballs out of them' - they are not looking for a solution for the Palestinians but to destroy the State of Israel."

He explains that the movement damages the Palestinian economy and profits from Palestinian suffering. He compares it to UNRWA in that regard. BDS activists have organized campaigns against him internationally.

Holocaust, Apartheid, and False “Genocide” Accusations.

A 2014 Ynet article titled “Holocaust deniers in B’Tselem” accused the organization of contributing to anti-Israel and antisemitic narratives. The article focused on researcher Atef Abu a-Rub, identified as a Holocaust denier, and criticized comparisons between Israeli policy and Nazi crimes.

Criticism intensified after B’Tselem’s 2021 report describing Israel as a supposed "apartheid" regime. Critics including Arab activist Yoseph Haddad reminded that the accusation ignored the participation of Arab citizens throughout Israeli society and distorted the meaning of apartheid.

Several additional articles challenged B’Tselem’s apartheid propaganda. “Understanding B’tselem’s ‘Apartheid’ Libel” by Gilead Ini argued that B’Tselem selectively omitted context and distorted demographic and historical realities. “Apartheid slurs against Israel - lies, lies, and more lies” by Richard L. Cravatts similarly rejected apartheid accusations as defamatory political narratives.

A 2024 Jerusalem Post analysis titled “Blood Libels of today's generation” pointed out that terms such as “genocide,” “apartheid,” [Pallyweid buzzwords] and “colonialism” had become modern anti-Israel blood libels, accusing organizations including B’Tselem of helping popularize such narratives internationally.

In 2026, columnist Melanie Phillips criticized opinion writing by Nicholas Kristof and referenced testimony previously provided to B’Tselem, pointing to inconsistencies and unreliable sourcing.

False Testimonies and Foreign Advocacy: The Case Against Breaking the Silence and B'Tselem.

In November 2017, written in Maariv: "The straw that broke the camel's back: There is no escape from tightening legislation against organizations like Breaking the Silence. The organization's latest affair adds to the growing pile of false evidence the organization has presented in recent years. It's time for Israel to learn to defend itself against it."

'Breaking the Silence' alleges abuses against Palestinians during military service, the organization presents itself as defending public morality and opposing the occupation, but its real activity centers on spreading false or manipulated testimonies and damaging Israel’s international reputation. It cites examples that undercover activists exposed attempts by the group to solicit confidential military information and references investigations disputing some testimonies promoted by the organization. The group focuses heavily on advocacy abroad, especially in Europe, through foreign-language publications and appearances in academic and governmental forums.

B'Tselem is a similar organization that collects allegations from Palestinians regarding treatment by Israeli security forces and IDF soldiers. Many of these testimonies were unreliable or disproven in legal proceedings and characterizes the organization’s work as politically aligned with Palestinian interests. B’Tselem presents its findings in a professional or research-oriented format while relying on poorly verified testimony collection methods.

Both organizations are anti-Israel and (more than) pro-Palestinian in orientation, they receive support from foreign or left-wing sources and work internationally to pressure Israel over the "occupation." It suggests by advocating stricter legislation against such groups, including restrictions on funding and potentially shutting them down, arguing that Israel should defend itself against organizations who are harming national security.

International Advocacy, and Delegitimization. Warped view, False Moral Equivalence.

B’Tselem’s international advocacy activities have generated additional controversy.

In 2017, Hagai El-Ad called on European governments and NGOs to pressure Israel in connection with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334.

In 2018, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman called for a criminal investigation into B’Tselem after the organization urged Israeli soldiers not to shoot at Palestinians near the Gaza border fence used by genocidal-Hamas.

That same year, The Jerusalem Post reported on confrontations at the United Nations in which Israeli diplomats accused Hagai El-Ad of collaborating with anti-Israel campaigns.

Articles throughout 2021 and 2023 accused left-wing NGOs of disproportionately emphasizing allegations of settler violence while minimizing Palestinian attacks. Commentators also argued that B’Tselem’s false apartheid accusations contributed to anti-Israel activism on university campuses and in international advocacy forums.

Following the October 7 attacks and subsequent Gaza war, criticism intensified further. A 2023 Jerusalem Post article reported calls to pressure Israeli banks to close accounts belonging to organizations such as B’Tselem because of allegations that donations harmed Israel and IDF soldiers.

In the wake of genocidal Hamas atrocities on Oct 7, Yuli Novak described it as "an act of resistance or rebellion.." Slamned by rather liberal: "At this point in time anyone who considered themselves a leftist had to choose: either human rights, or Palestinian nationalism. This isn't a "sobering up" – the euphemism for openly expressing the covert hatred of Arabs and making it overt – but a significant ideological choice of good over evil. Not for the purpose of expressing condemnation, but a clear stand for universal humanitarian principles, which totally reject the slaughter of infants in their beds. No occupation in the world could justify that. B'Tselem failed in this choice..'

Written about 6 weeks after the massacre:

"After Silver's body was identified, the organization issued a statement saying it mourned and grieved for the peace activist "who was killed in a Hamas attack on a kibbutz." For B'Tselem, it seems, Vivian was only "killed" - not murdered. In their view, the heinous murder by vile terrorists is no more than a description of an unfortunate car accident in which a woman was "killed." It turns out that B'Tselem's avoidance of using the word "murder" is limited only to cases where the victims are Jews, but not when it comes to Palestinians.'

In 2024, controversy erupted when the United Nations Security Council invited B’Tselem executive director Yuli Novak to address a session concerning Palestinian conditions alongside testimony regarding Israeli hostages held by Hamas. The inclusion of B’Tselem introduced political “balance” into a discussion focused on hostages to [diminish the urgency by Hamas crimes].

Worse, At UN conference: "B'Tselem Director-General compares the kidnapped to Hamas terrorists." (Yuli Novak).

Foreign Funding and Political Influence.

Foreign government funding has remained central to criticism directed at B’Tselem and similar NGOs.

A 2013 Israel National News article titled “Watchdog Group: Soros Funding Conflict in Israel” discussed claims that organizations linked to George Soros and the Open Society Foundations funded NGOs involved in criticism of Israel, including B’Tselem.

A 2018 Ynet article by Gerald Steinberg stated that organizations such as B’Tselem, Breaking the Silence, and Yesh Din exercised disproportionate political influence through extensive European government financing.

A 2021 Jerusalem Post report detailed financial support from European governments and private foundations to Israeli NGOs supporting International Criminal Court investigations into Israel. Approximately half of B’Tselem’s funding between 2017 and 2019 came from foreign governments.

Uproar over foreign funding continued into 2025, when a Jerusalem Post article supporting proposed legislation to tax foreign donations to Israeli NGOs cited figures claiming that B’Tselem had received more than NIS 83 million from foreign sources between 2012 and 2024.

Internal and Personnel Controversies.

B’Tselem has also faced controversies involving employees, activists, and associated figures.

A 2013 Israel National News article reports that a cameraman working with B’Tselem had participated in rock-throwing incidents against Israelis.

Ezra Nawi again became the subject of controversy in 2018 when Ynet reported that he had been indicted for providing Palestinian Authority security services with information about Palestinians involved in land sales to Jews.

Criticism emerged from academia in 2019 after recordings allegedly showed anti-Israel bias toward international students at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem by professor Daphna Golan, identified as a co-founder of B’Tselem.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, COGAT accused B’Tselem of “exploiting coronavirus” after the organization falsely claimed the IDF had destroyed a Palestinian coronavirus treatment center in the Jordan Valley.

In 2021, settlers announced legal action against B’Tselem over allegations that Israelis had set Palestinian agricultural fields on fire. Separately, two B’Tselem activists, including photographer Imad Abu Shamsiyya, were arrested on accusations related to torching land in the West Bank.

In 2024, a former B’Tselem employee, Ro'ei Yellin, filed suit he was dismissed after opposing the organization’s support for a unilateral Gaza ceasefire call. Reports described internal disagreements over whether such advocacy exceeded the organization’s professional mandate. In Nov 2023, merely weeks after Oct 7 attacks, B'tselem leadership intimidated him by accusing him of supposed supporting so-called "genocide" if he refused to publish the exact text provided.

Political and Ideological Criticism.

Critics have showed that B’Tselem and similar NGOs constrain Israeli counterterrorism policy and military operations.

A 2018 Israel National News article citing polling data reported that many Israelis believed organizations such as B’Tselem and Breaking the Silence undermined IDF operational effectiveness against dangerous terror.

In 2019, remarks by Naftali Bennett referenced criticism of such groups  as restricting Israeli security operations.

A 2026 Jerusalem Post article revisited statements attributed to former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin that organizations such as B’Tselem limited Israel’s ability to combat terrorism through legal and public advocacy pressure.

References:

1. “Collaborating with the enemy.” Ynet News. July 25, 2008.  [https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3573110,00.html]

2. Ben-Dror Yemini. “A wakeup call for the left.” Ynet News. January 15, 2016 [https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4753465,00.html]

3. Ruthie Avraham. “Yehudit Karp: Criminal Ezra Navi is the ‘redeemer and savior’.” News1. August 27, 2009. [https://archive.is/2013.06.18-084510/http://www.news1.co.il/Archive/001-D-212040-00.html],[https://archive.is/QB4aI]

4. “Case closed: ‘IDF did not commit war crimes in Gaza’.” Ynet News. May 2, 2012.  [https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4223449,00.html]

5. “Bending the truth.” Ynet News. September 24, 2008.[https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3601691,00.html]

6. “B’Tselem Retracts False Report.” Israel National News (Arutz Sheva). By Avraham Zuroff. July 22, 2009.
[https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/132520]

7. “B'Tselem's Gaza war statistics under fire.” The Jerusalem Post. August 20, 2014.
[https://www.jpost.com/operation-protective-edge/btselems-gaza-war-statistics-under-fire-by-right-wing-israeli-groups-371590]

8. “B'Tselem banned from National-Civilian Service.” The Jerusalem Post. August 14, 2014.
[https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/btselem-banned-from-national-civilian-service-371117]

9. “Holocaust deniers in B'Tselem.” Ynet News. August 31, 2014.
[https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4565828,00.html]

10. Jonathan D. Halevi. “B’Tselem manipulates and distorts facts to defame Israel.” Jewish News Syndicate (JNS). January 26, 2015.
[https://www.jns.org/israel-news/btselem-manipulates-and-distorts-facts-to-defame-israel]

11. “The Palestinian who opposes the boycott against Israel.” Ynet News. October 6, 2015.
[https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4667098,00.html]

12. “An Interview with Bassem Eid.” CAMERA on Campus. Nov 9, 2015.
[http://cameraoncampus.org/blog/an-interview-with-bassem-eid];
“The Palestinian Activist Who Resigned from B’Tselem to Fight the Palestinian Authority.” Tikvah Ideas. Nov 19, 2015.
[https://ideas.tikvah.org/mosaic/picks/the-palestinian-activist-who-resigned-from-btselem-to-fight-the-palestinian-authority];
“Bassem Eid, a former B'Tselem activist who is now struggling to tell the truth: "BDS members don't dare enter the Balata camp in Nablus because they fear they'll 'make meatballs out of them' - they are not looking for a solution for the Palestinians but to destroy the State of Israel.".” C 14. June 16, 2015.
[https://www.facebook.com/reel/495328743948038/]

13. Yair Lapid. “B’Tselem’s lies.” The Jerusalem Post. September 22, 2016.
[https://www.jpost.com/opinion/btselems-lies-468488]

14. “B'Tselem's site fails to label some terrorists as terrorists.” Ynet News. April 5, 2017.
[https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4957400,00.html]

15. “B'Tselem calls on Europe to work toward ending ‘occupation’.” The Jerusalem Post. June 4, 2017.
[https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/btselem-calls-on-europe-to-work-toward-ending-occupation-494726]

16. “The straw that broke the camel's back: There is no escape from tightening legislation against organizations like Breaking the Silence.” Maariv. Nov 24, 2017.

[https://www.maariv.co.il/news/opinions/article-610169]

17. “Defense Minister calls for criminal probe of B’Tselem.” The Jerusalem Post. April 9, 2018.
[https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-minister-calls-for-criminal-probe-of-btselem-549207]

18. Gerald Steinberg. “Foreign-funded NGOs, political power and democratic legitimacy.” Ynet News. June 3, 2018.
[https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5277618,00.html]

19. Yael Friedson. “Israeli who snitched to PA on W.Bank land sales to Jews charged.” Ynet News. July 15, 2018.
[https://www.ynetnews.com/article/5310587]

20. Shlomo Pyuterkovsky. “New Israel Fund a ‘neutral body’? Don’t make me laugh.” Ynet News. August 11, 2018.
[https://www.ynetnews.com/opinions-analysis/article/5001237]

21. “B'Tselem head: I'm not a traitor; Israeli envoy: You're a collaborator.” The Jerusalem Post. October 19, 2018.
[https://www.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/btselem-address-un-security-council-on-gaza-khan-al-ahmar-569721]

22. “Recordings show anti-Israel bias towards international students at the Hebrew University.” Jewish News Syndicate (JNS). May 20, 2019.
[https://www.jns.org/antisemitism/recordings-reveal-extreme-anti-israel-bias-in-hus-international-graduate-program]

23. “COGAT slams B'Tselem for ‘exploiting coronavirus’.” The Jerusalem Post. March 26, 2020.
[https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/cogat-slams-btselem-for-exploiting-coronavirus-622474]

24. Lahav Harkov. “EU countries gave NIS 50m. to Israeli NGOs supporting war crimes charges.” The Jerusalem Post. March 9, 2021.
[https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/eu-countries-gave-nis-50-m-to-israeli-ngos-supporting-war-crimes-charges-661323]

25. “Settlers to sue B'Tselem for alleging they set Palestinian fields ablaze.” The Jerusalem Post. May 5, 2021.
[https://www.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/settlers-to-sue-btselem-for-alleging-they-set-palestinian-fields-ablaze-667300]

26. Yoseph Haddad. “No, Israel is not an apartheid state.” Ynet News. June 26, 2021.
[https://www.ynetnews.com/opinions-analysis/article/BkwP4gGnO]

27. “B'Tselem activists arrested for torching land in West Bank.” The Jerusalem Post. June 28, 2021.
[https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/btselem-activists-arrested-for-torching-land-in-west-bank-672249]

28. “2 B'Tselem Activists Arrested for Torching Israeli-owned Land.” TPS-IL. June 28, 2021.
[https://tps.co.il/articles/2-btselem-activists-arrested-for-torching-israeli-owned-land]

29. Akiva Lam. “Left-wing groups use settlers as excuse to disparage Israel.” Ynet News. December 3, 2021.
[https://www.ynetnews.com/opinions-analysis/article/h1mtqqnuy]

30. Hannah Kirsch. “The lies and libels of Israeli Apartheid Week.” Jewish News Syndicate (JNS). May 7, 2023.
[https://www.jns.org/opinion/hannah-kirsch/the-lies-and-libels-of-israeli-apartheid-week]

31. “Israeli banks offer services to NGOs that cause harm to IDF - influencer.” The Jerusalem Post. October 24, 2023.
[https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/banking-and-finance/article-769348]

32. “How much can one deny reality?! The B'Tselem organization insists on not being sober – even after the massacre.” Hidabroot, November 20, 2023.[https://www.hidabroot.org/article/1188600]

33. “Ex-B'Tselem employee says NGO fired him for opposing a ceasefire call.” The Jerusalem Post. March 21, 2024.
[https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-793058];
“Former B'Tselem senior claims: ‘I was fired because I did not agree to a unilateral call for a ceasefire.’” Walla! News. By Shlomi Heller. March 21, 2024.
[https://news.walla.co.il/item/3652201]

34. Anat Kamm, “B'Tselem Forgot That It's a Human Rights Group.” Haaretz, Mar 31, 2024. [https://archive.is/yiXTG]

35. Itamar Eichner. “UN’s ‘balance’ condition sparks outrage ahead of Hamas hostage discussion.” Ynet News. April 9, 2024.
[https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hkre2xi2r]

36. “At UN conference: B'Tselem Director-General compares the kidnapped to Hamas terrorists.” C 14, September 5, 2024.[https://www.c14.co.il/article/1006978]

37. Ohad Merlin. “Blood Libels of today's generation - analysis.” The Jerusalem Post. May 16, 2024.
[https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-801408]

38. “B’Tselem’s False Information and Flawed Methodology: Court Ruling Spotlights NGO ‘Investigations’.” NGO Monitor. October 8, 2024.
[https://ngo-monitor.org/reports/btselems-false-information-and-flawed-methodology-court-ruling-spotlights-ngo-investigations/]

39. “Israel's new law taxing foreign donations to Israeli NGOs is welcome.” The Jerusalem Post. May 13, 2025.
[https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-853679]

40. Avi Abelow. “Israel projects strength abroad but struggles to protect its citizens at home - opinion.” The Jerusalem Post. April 18, 2026.
[https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-893076]