Genocide Accusation by Leading Scholars
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The International Association of Genocide Scholars, the largest professional body dedicated to the study of genocide, proclaimed Monday that Israel’s actions in Gaza amount to genocide. This statement, supported by approximately 86% of its roughly 500 members—many of whom are Holocaust experts—may deepen Israel’s isolation in international opinion and follows an increasing number of organizations making similar assertions regarding Israel’s conduct in Gaza.
Israel has categorically rejected these claims, labeling the resolution an “embarrassment to the legal profession.” The organization’s resolution contends, “Israel’s policies and actions in Gaza meet the legal definition of genocide.” Specific voting details, however, were not disclosed.
Experts Weigh In
“People who are experts in the study of genocide can see this situation for what it is,” stated Melanie O’Brien, the association’s president and an international law professor at the University of Western Australia, in an interview with The Associated Press.
The Ongoing Conflict
The conflict escalated dramatically on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants conducted an attack resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 individuals, primarily civilians, and the abduction of 251 people. Currently, 48 hostages are held in Gaza, with about 20 believed to be alive.
In response, Israel has launched a substantial military offensive, resulting in widespread destruction across Gaza, where over 2 million residents have been displaced. Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that more than 63,000 Palestinians have lost their lives, without distinguishing between fighters and civilians, although it reports that around half of the deceased are women and children. This ministry, associated with Hamas, is staffed by medical professionals and is viewed by the United Nations and independent experts as a reliable source for casualty figures. Israel disputes these statistics but has not offered alternative data.
Accusations of Atrocities
The resolution issued by the scholars accuses Israel of engaging in “indiscriminate and deliberate attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure” within Gaza and called for an immediate halt to actions constituting genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity against Palestinians in the region. It acknowledges that the Hamas attack “constitutes international crimes.”
Legal Context of Genocide
The term genocide was codified in a 1948 convention established in the aftermath of the Holocaust, defining it as acts committed with “intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.” While the U.N. and numerous Western nations maintain that only a court can ascertain whether genocide has occurred, there is currently a case against Israel pending before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Israel, which was founded partially as a refuge following the Holocaust—a tragedy that saw approximately 6 million European Jews killed—strongly denies that it is committing genocide. The Israeli Foreign Ministry responded: “The IAGS has set a historic precedent — for the first time, ‘Genocide Scholars’ accuse the very victim of genocide — despite Hamas’s attempted genocide against the Jewish people. Disgraceful.”
Israeli officials argue that Hamas is prolonging the conflict by refusing to surrender and release hostages. Recently, Israel initiated a new phase of military operations and officially designated Gaza City as a combat zone.
Previous Global Assertions
Founded in 1994, the scholars’ group has previously recognized that the treatment of Uyghur Muslims in China and the persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar meet the genocide threshold. In 2006, the organization asserted that statements by former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who called for the eradication of Israel, exhibited “genocidal intent.”
In July, two notable Israeli human rights organizations, B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, declared that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. While these views do not reflect mainstream Israeli thought, they marked a significant moment as local Jewish-led organizations leveled such grave accusations.
International human rights groups have also echoed these allegations. Meanwhile, South Africa has accused Israel of violating the Genocide Convention at the ICJ, an allegation that Israel firmly disputes. Enforcement of ICJ rulings can take years, and while the court does not possess a police force for implementation, a nation may bring non-compliance to the attention of the U.N. Security Council, which has the power to impose sanctions or authorize military action, despite each of the five permanent members having veto power, including the United States—Israel’s closest ally. U.S. President Donald Trump has asserted he does not believe that genocide is occurring.
