HRW, an international NGO, pressures governments, policy makers to denounce abuse and the group says it works on behalf of “refugees, children, migrants and political prisoners”.
A US-based Israeli advocacy organisation, StandWithUs, posted a screenshot of the dating profile of Matthew Myers. Myers created his profile containing the comment on the Tinder app. He listed his workplace, his interests, and added “if you can’t laugh about the hair room at Auschwitz, get out.”
Myers was suspended on Monday. He did not explain why he found piles of hair on exhibit so amusing, but some have suggested that he found it funny because at Nuremberg it was claimed that this hair “from Jews” was used to make mattresses “for German women”.
According to Andrew Stroehlein, HRW’s European media director, Myers was ordered to delete the offensive comment and has since been suspended.
“These comments are antithetical to the values of Human Rights Watch,” Stroehlein told JP. “We have instructed Mr Myers to delete them, and have suspended him from his duties pending further deliberation.” He added that the company had acted quickly to suspend Myers. “As soon as we were informed about this, we took immediate action.”
Michael Dickson, the executive director of StandWithUs in Israel, praised the quick response from HRW. “In the past, Human Rights Watch has demonstrated a deeply troubling approach to Israel,” said Dickson. “They have an obsessive focus on the Jewish state, demonizing Israel consistently and often voicing support for discriminatory boycotts… That they are investigating this issue is encouraging but this only the tip of the iceberg in terms of the reform that needs to take place.”
StandWithUs has asked its supporters to write to HRW and complain “because antisemitism from their employees is anything but funny.”
But many online commenters urged restraint. “Important reminder: Make fun of the guy, don’t try to get him canned,” Seth Mandel, op-ed editor at the New York Post said. “Joke for joke, then move on.”
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