NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
May 29, 2024: Former U.S. presidential candidate and United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley faced strong criticism after writing “FINISH THEM” on an Israeli shell during her visit to Israel this week. A photograph of Haley inscribing the message was shared on social media by Danny Danon, a member of the Israeli parliament and former U.N. ambassador, who accompanied her on the tour.
Haley, a Republican and former ambassador under President Donald Trump, was seen bending down and writing on the shell with a purple marker. Danon posted the image with the caption, “‘Finish Them!’ This is what my friend, the ambassador Nikki Haley, wrote.”
The message sparked an immediate backlash from human rights organizations, reports Politico. Kenneth Roth, former Executive Director of Human Rights Watch, criticized Haley, stating, “Nikki Haley shows who she is. As Israeli bombardment has killed far more Palestinian civilians than combatants, she signs a bomb, ‘Finish them.’ Why not just sign, ‘I favor Israeli war crimes.’”
Haley’s visit to Israel included a stop at the northern border, a day after an Israeli airstrike killed at least 45 civilians, including children, at a Palestinian refugee camp in Rafah in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military claimed the strike targeted a Hamas compound and killed two senior militants, but later admitted it was a “tragic mistake.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced an investigation into the incident.
The airstrike and Haley’s actions have drawn international condemnation. French President Emmanuel Macron called for an end to Israel’s operations in Rafah, highlighting the lack of safe areas for Palestinian civilians, reports Politico.
Nikki Haley was born Nimrata Randhawa to Indian immigrants.
Cover Photo: Danny Danon’s X page.
