Review the Steinberg's Article: Politics of NGO's Research

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Politics of NGO’s
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Politics in NGO’s
The article by Steinberg focuses on the influence that NGO activities have in politics. In particular, Steinberg examines the involvement of NGO’s in the Israeli political conflict, concentrating on their impact on the Israeli security and foreign policy. According to the author, these organizations utilize the concept of “soft power” to affect the humanitarian aid and human rights issues. The perception of their normative and moral goals, being politically non-partisan and the untainted economic objectives serve to increase their level of influence. However, over the decades, the NGO’s have lost their focus in civil conflicts resulting in them taking sides in cases of international disputes such as in the Arab-Israeli conflict. Steinberg explains that influential NGO’s such as the Amnesty International and the Human Rights Watch have been instrumental in advancing the political agenda of the Palestinians.
Steinberg argues that NGO’s represent the ideologies of those who fund them, leaders, and contributors in the Arab-Israeli conflict. The writer discusses that the notion that NGO’s are only interested in protecting the victims has made it easy for them to continue with their hidden agendas without being scrutinized. The NGO’s and UN downplay or ignore the testimonies of the Israeli’s human rights view. The NGO’s ‘expert reports’ and statements concerning Israeli’s actions against Palestinians have led to the UN ordering the investigation of these allegations. The result is the many indictments of the Israeli policies and the Israel nation. In the various UN Conferences since the Durban Meeting in 2001, NGO’s have all focused on projecting Palestine as the victim and Israel as the perpetrator. For example, in addressing the Lebanon and the Gaza war, most resolutions against Israel have been developed with the NGO’s sentiments influencing most of the decisions. Steinberg argues that the NGOs’ soft-power strategy is a mechanism to present Israel as an apartheid nation and isolate it internationally. The economic and academic boycotts, UN sanctions, and divestment effo...