A new report reveals that the Palestinian Authority and Hamas both routinely use torture and other human rights abuses to control their people and crush dissent.

Over two years of investigation took place to put the report together and they found that the Palestinian Authority, based in the West Bank, and Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, have both abused human rights using arrests, torture and intimidation to suppress free speech, silence their critics, shut down protests and limit the media.

This report is unlikely to be spoken about in anti-Israel circles, but it is important to point out that Human Rights Watch (HRW), which is based in New York, has often been accused of being biased AGAINST Israel. Meaning this report is not from Israel or a pro-Israel source, but a major critic of Israel.

HRW have in the past been called “maniacally anti-Israel”. They have repeatedly been called out for ignoring Palestinian anti-Semitism. So to hear this organisation speaking against the actions of the Palestinian Authority and Hamas should be noted.

“Palestinian authorities have gained only limited power in the West Bank and Gaza, but yet, where they have autonomy, they have developed parallel police states,” said Tom Porteous, deputy programme director at Human Rights Watch.

“Calls by Palestinian officials to safeguard Palestinian rights ring hollow as they crush dissent.”

Whilst the Human Rights Watch report does go into these details, it fails to go further and look at how women’s rights and the rights of others are restricted within Palestinian controlled areas.