The Hague, Sep 1 (AP) — The world's largest professional organization of genocide scholars declared on Monday that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.
The International Association of Genocide Scholars, which boasts around 500 members worldwide, including numerous Holocaust experts, has concluded that Israel's actions in Gaza meet the legal definition of genocide. This determination could further alienate Israel in global public opinion and adds to a growing number of organizations that have labeled Israel's actions in Gaza as genocide. Israel has consistently rejected this accusation.
"Israel's policies and actions in Gaza fulfill the legal criteria for genocide, as well as crimes against humanity and war crimes," according to the group's resolution, which was backed by 86% of those who voted. The organization did not disclose the specific voting data.
"Experts in the study of genocide can see this situation for what it is," said Melanie O'Brien, the organization's president and a professor of international law at the University of Western Australia, in a statement to The Associated Press.
The concept of genocide was codified in a 1948 convention following the horrors of the Holocaust, defining it as acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group. The United Nations and many Western nations assert that only a court can rule on whether such a crime has happened, and a case against Israel is currently before the UN's highest court.
Israel, which was partly founded as a refuge following the Holocaust where approximately 6 million European Jews were murdered, staunchly denies the claims of genocide. It considers such accusations to be an antisemitic "blood libel," stating that Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack, which triggered the war, was itself a genocidal action.
In the October 7 attack, Hamas-led militants killed roughly 1,200 people, mainly civilians, and kidnapped 251. Of those, 48 hostages remain in Gaza, with around 20 believed by Israel to be alive.
The scholars' resolution acknowledges that the attack constitutes international crimes. The Israeli Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Following Israel's offensive since October 7, 2023, large areas of Gaza have been destroyed, with most of its 2 million residents displaced. According to Gaza's Health Ministry, over 63,000 Palestinians have died, with the ministry not specifying the ratio of fighters to civilians, but noting that about half were women and children.
The ministry operates as part of the Hamas-run government, staffed by medical professionals, and is deemed the most reliable source on war casualties by the UN and independent experts. Israel challenges these figures but has not provided alternative statistics.
Israel maintains that it takes extensive measures to avoid civilian casualties and blames Hamas for these deaths due to their combat in densely populated areas. Israel argues that Hamas prolongs the conflict by not surrendering and freeing the hostages.
Supporters of Israel argue that the Israeli military’s restraint is evident, as it could inflict much higher casualties. Genocide scholars stress that there is no specific numerical threshold for the crime.
The genocide scholars group, founded in 1994, previously determined that China's treatment of the minority Muslim Uighurs and Myanmar's crackdown on Rohingya Muslims meets the genocide criteria.
In 2006, the organization noted that statements by the then-Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who called for Israel to be “wiped off the map,” had genocidal intent and required urgent action.
In July, two leading Israeli rights groups, B'Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, accused their country of committing genocide in Gaza. Though these organizations do not represent mainstream Israeli views, it marked the first time local Jewish-led organizations have made such accusations.
International human rights organizations have also made similar allegations.
Meanwhile, South Africa has accused Israel of violating the Genocide Convention at the International Court of Justice, an assertion Israel denies. A final decision could take years.
The court does not have enforcement capabilities, but a nation that believes another member has not complied with an ICJ ruling could report it to the UN Security Council.
The council has options ranging from imposing sanctions to authorizing military action, but any action requires the support of at least nine of the 15 council nations and no veto from a permanent member — the United States, Russia, China, Britain, and France. Former US President Donald Trump, whose country is Israel's closest ally, has indicated he does not believe genocide is occurring. (AP) GSP
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