An Egyptian activist with pro-Palestinian tendencies and a past that includes social media attacks on Israel is one of three finalists for the elite Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders.
The award is due to be presented next week in Geneva.
The at-issue finalist, Mona Seif, posted on social media in the 2011 uprising against then-President Hosni Mubarak several messages that U.N. Watch characterized as sympathetic to Hamas and to other terrorist groups.
Specifically, U.N. Watch said she has pledged to fight for the Palestinians to death and wrote: “Palestine is my way and I am full of determination and will. I will draw my blood in the West Bank, in Gaza I hope to die, in Bethlehem I will strengthen my people and in Jerusalem I will achieve martyrdom,” The Blaze reported.
She also has tweeted: “A day will yet come when I will join the resistance and participate in the intifada. Palestine is my way and I am full of determination and will … I hope to die in Gaza.”
U.N. Watch officials called on the jury panel for the award to cut her out of the nomination process, but to no avail. In a Monday letter to Human Rights First head William Zabel, one of the judge’s on the prize panel, U.N. Watch Executive Director Hillel Neuer said, “As a human rights supporter, you should not celebrate an unabashed advocate of violence and terrorism.”
SEE ALSO: Human Rights Watch selects proponent of terrorism as finalist for award
Ms. Seif also posted a message of Facebook in May that read in part: “And of course [expletive] Israel until there’s justice for the Palestinians.”
Award officials say Ms. Seif’s social media postings are song lyrics and do not reflect her true political views.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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