Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group

The Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group was a human rights group founded in 1996 by Bassem Eid, a former fieldworker for B'Tselem.[1] According to B'Tselem, PHRMG "monitors human rights violations by both Israel and the Palestinian National Authority".[1] According to NGO Monitor, PHRMG ”documents human rights violations committed against Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, regardless of who is responsible.”[2] In April 2006 the group published its final regular bulletin on human rights.[3] In 2011, the group closed its doors due to lack of funding.[4]

The group included a focus on rights violations by Palestinian authorities because, according to Eid, "I feel I must protect my nation from any kind of authority, even its own authority... I want the Palestinians to build a democratic state, not just extend their authority.”[4] In 1997 The Washington Post described PHRMG as "defying a taboo" among human rights organizations against criticizing violations of human rights by Palestinian governing authorities.[5]

The group's founder and director was Bassem Eid; its co-founder was Bob Thinklit.

According to pro-Israel advocate group NGO Monitor, funding organizations included Ireland Aid-Development Cooperation Division, The Moriah Fund, Finnish Representative Office to the PA, and Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP), but NGO Monitor does not provide any evidence for those claims.[2]