JERUSALEM, Israel โ Aziz Rhali has resigned as a vice president of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), following renewed scrutiny over past statements and social media posts that critics say glorified terrorism and promoted antisemitic rhetoric.
The resignation was welcomed by the Jerusalem-based watchdog NGO Monitor, which has documented Rhali’s public statements and social media activity over several years. The organization said the move represents an important step toward accountability but argued that broader questions remain about FIDH’s leadership and institutional judgment.
“Aziz Rhali’s resignation from the International Federation for Human Rights is a welcome step for accountability in the human rights industry,” said Olga Deutsch, Vice President of NGO Monitor.
“For years, NGO Monitor has raised awareness of Rhali’s ties to terrorists and his glorification of violence.”
According to NGO Monitor, Rhali referred to Hezbollah operative and convicted murderer Samir Kuntar as his “friend and comrade” following Kuntar’s death in 2015. Kuntar was convicted for the 1979 Nahariya terrorist attack, during which an Israeli police officer and members of the Haran family, including a four-year-old girl, were murdered. After his release from prison in a prisoner exchange, Kuntar became affiliated with Hezbollah and was later designated by the United States as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.
NGO Monitor also cited a 2020 social media post by Rhali containing an image bearing the phrase “Death to the Jews,” along with additional posts expressing support for what he described as the “Palestinian resistance.” The organization has published archived screenshots and analyses of those posts as part of its research.
Deutsch argued that the controversy extends beyond Rhali personally.
“FIDH, one of Europe’s oldest human rights organizations, failed to remove Rhali immediately, raising serious questions about the organization’s judgment and exposing deeply rooted institutional biases,” she said.
NGO Monitor also highlighted what it describes as longstanding concerns regarding FIDH’s relationship with Palestinian organizations.
The watchdog noted that in 2013 FIDH appointed as one of its vice presidents the director of the Palestinian organization Al-Haq, which NGO Monitor identifies as having links to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a terrorist organization designated by Canada, the United States, the European Union and Israel. NGO Monitor further alleges that Al-Haq played a leading advocacy role in encouraging international organizations to accuse Israel of genocide following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks.
Rhali’s resignation follows months of growing public attention surrounding his past statements.
Earlier this year, NGO Monitor documented additional posts in which Rhali praised Samir Kuntar, expressed support for what he called the “Al Aqsa Flood” operation launched by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and promoted slogans supporting armed resistance. According to NGO Monitor, those disclosures prompted internal discussions within FIDH regarding his future role.
Media reports cited by NGO Monitor indicated that FIDH had previously asked Rhali to refrain from speaking publicly on behalf of the organization while an internal review was underway.
Rhali reportedly submitted a resignation letter that was published by the Lebanese newspaper Al-Binaa. The contents of the letter have circulated publicly, although neither FIDH nor Rhali had issued a detailed public explanation of the resignation at the time of publication.
The International Federation for Human Rights, founded in 1922 and headquartered in Paris, is one of Europe’s oldest international human rights organizations. It represents member organizations in more than 100 countries and regularly publishes reports and advocacy campaigns on global human rights issues.
NGO Monitor, established in 2001, monitors the activities, funding and advocacy of non-governmental organizations involved in the Arab-Israeli conflict. The organization frequently examines the records of international human rights groups and their officials, particularly where it believes political advocacy has crossed into support for terrorism or antisemitism.
Deutsch said Rhali’s resignation should not mark the end of scrutiny.
According to NGO Monitor, the controversy underscores broader concerns about governance standards within parts of the international human rights sector and highlights the need for organizations to apply consistent standards when evaluating the conduct and public statements of their own leadership.
While Rhali’s departure removes him from one of FIDH’s senior leadership positions, NGO Monitor maintains that the issues raised by the case extend beyond a single individual and warrant continued examination of institutional oversight and accountability within the international human rights community.
