Scholars Call on IAGS to Retract Resolution Accusing Israel of Genocide in Gaza

Strategic Insights -

A group of academics and organizations, including Scholars for Truth about Genocide, has written a letter to the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) urging them to retract their resolution condemning Israel's actions in Gaza as genocide. The scholars argue that the IAGS resolution fails to accurately apply the law and facts of the war in Gaza, and that it is Hamas, not Israel, that has committed genocide. They also criticized the process by which the resolution was passed, citing promises of town-halls and dissenting opinions that were not fulfilled.

Key Takeaways:

  • The International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) voted to declare Israel's actions in Gaza as genocide earlier this year, citing attacks on healthcare, aid, and education, as well as 50,000 children killed or injured by Israel.
  • Scholars for Truth about Genocide argued that the IAGS resolution fails to accurately apply the law and facts of the war in Gaza, and that Hamas, not Israel, has committed genocide.
  • The scholars criticized the IAGS voting process, alleging that promises of town-halls and dissenting opinions were broken, and that dissent was quieted with 129 voting members voting in favor of the resolution out of over 500 members.
  • Israel rejects the IAGS findings, describing them as "based on Hamas lies" and poor research.
  • Israel also rejected the label of "genocide", stating that they are "the victim of genocide" (BBC).

Statistics:

  • 500: The total number of IAGS members who were eligible to vote on the resolution.
  • 129: The number of voting members who voted in favor of the resolution.
  • 107: The number of voting members who voted in favor, out of 129 who voted in favor.
  • 50,000: The number of children killed or injured by Israel, as reported by UN aid organization Unicef.

Sources:

  • [BBC] - "Israel rejects IAGS genocide findings, calls it 'an embarrassment to the legal profession'"
  • [timesofisrael.com] - "Scholars in open letter to IAGS: Gaza conflict not genocide, but Hamas"
  • [Unicef] - "UNICEF: Children Paying the Price of Conflict in Gaza"
  • [IAGS] - IAGS resolution on Gaza (no date given in the original text)