Hmmmm. Can you now do a deep dive into the complete and utter takeover of the Democrat Party by Democratic Socialists, Communists in general, Anti-Fascists (communists), as well as still keeping remnants of the KKK (it created and ran the organization), so that we can understand that Israel is the least of our problems? Are you up to the task? Not too biased that your vision is clouded?
Yeah, right. You're deluded if you buy into the left-right simulacrum. It too is a zionist psyop. All 39 trillion dollars of U.S. debt can be traced to U.S. subservience to Israel.
I don't think the US has been Zionised - but it's leaders have definitely be captured or blackmailed (either by false theology or perhaps personal blackmail). So I think Trump being called "Bibi's B*tch" is probably more apt than Zion Don.
Because the mask has come completely off under Trump, the most loyal "friend of Israel" according to Netanyahu himself. Read the article again, if not for the first time.
I want to respond to my friend Michael Recteonwold’s article published on Substack this past Sunday. As I understand from the article, Professor Rectenwald is: 1) Assuming and expecting his readers to accept the assumption that Israel is carrying out a genocide of Arab’s living in the Gaza Strip. Before proceeding, let’s pause to look at the definition of genocide.
GENOCIDE: The deliberate and systematic killing or persecution of a large number of people from a particular national or ethnic group with the aim of destroying that nation or group with the aim of destroying that nation or group.
Given this definition, is Israel in truth and in fact carrying out an active campaign of genocide in the Gaza strip? Let’s analyze Israeli actions and intent to see if they fall within this definition. The Israeli attacks and killings in Gaza are intended to kill all of the members of the political group and para-military organization Hamas. Hamas operates in Gaza and is headquartered in the Gaza Strip. In so far as the publicly available evidence supports a conclusion on the question of “was it a genocide”, Israel, it would seem is not seeking to annihilate and eliminate a national or ethic group. They are seeking, it seems, to destroy a para-military organization. Not just any para-military organization but one that has on several occasions attacked Israeli citizens. Given this fact, the Israeli bombings, and war-violence in Gaza, while brutal, do not constitute genocide because the requisite intent of annihilating an ethnic group seems to be lacking. This is not to diminish the horror and suffering caused by these bombings.
But we cannot stop the moral analysis here because the Israeli attacks on Gaza and the Hamas response to those attacks encompass other variables and complexities that must be examined if the morality of the Israeli bombings are to be fairly assessed. Let’s look at some of these complexities.
First, on October 7, 2023 Hamas para-military personnel and random Hamas supporters from the Gaza Strip launched an unprovoked attack on Israeli civilians. These Israeli civilians were largely young people who were an attending the Nova Music Festival (also known as the Supernova Sukkot Gathering) near Kibbutz Re'im, close to the Gaza border. These young Israeli’s were unarmed and peacefully participating in the festival. It is inarguable that the October 7th Hamas attacks occurred. Let’s look at some evidence on the public record.
1) Israeli and NGO Report: The Dinah Project (July 2025), an all-women legal team, reviewed 17+ witness testimonies for 15+ assault cases, including gang rapes and forced viewing of rapes at gunpoint; it called this a "genocidal strategy." The Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel analyzed testimonies showing Hamas forcing family members to watch rapes. A Haaretz report (April 2024) cited three Hamas confessions to rapes during interrogations.
2) Forensic Challenges and Corroboration: Autopsies were limited—many bodies were too damaged for full exams—but ZAKA volunteers noted widespread nudity and genital injuries among female victims. A Bar-Ilan University study (2025) linked this to tactical dehumanization.
Other evidence and sources make a strong case for the reality and brutality of the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023.
Michale’s article says nothing about the October 7th Hamas crossing of the Gaza border to commit violent crimes of the most sadistic nature. Any objective effort to determine the morality (or lack thereof) regarding the retaliatory bombings and attacks by Israel must, in my mind at least, include weighing the impact of Hamas rapes and sadism committed. These were acts of murder and rape on the Israelis attending the music festival. Israel did not just wake up one day and decide to send bombs into the Gaza Strip out of an uncontrollable hatred for Arabs.
Michale’s article accurately states that the Israeli bombings targeted hospitals and schools that included among other victims, children. Michale is correct. The Israeli military did indeed target hospitals and schools and as a result, many children were killed. Much of Michael’s moral indictment of Israel cites this targeting of hospitals and schools. And he is right to be troubled by this. What he did not include in the article is this: Hamas leadership and its para-military personnel that committed the October 7th attacks barricaded themselves in the very hospitals and schools Michael references. They then used the patients and children as human shields. Hamas then dared Isarel to bomb. What was Israels’ response?
The Israeli response was to immediately halt all bombing for weeks. They limited war operation to ground combat searching for hiding Hamas operatives. During these weeks, the Israeli government told Hamas that it must leave the schools and hospitals and go elsewhere. Hamas did not leave. It remained in the hospitals and schools thumbing their noses at the Israeli government and keeping their captives from leaving. The helpless patients and terrified children were caught in the middle as Hamas seemed happy to hide behind them in the belief that Israel and the West would never allow themselves to face the virulent rage that would certainly be heaped upon them if Israel bombed. After a number of ultimatums. And after a considerable campaign to warn all non-Hamas residents of the Gaza Strip to leave, they began to bomb. Many children died as a result. And many in West were in a rage. Not at Hamas, whom they seemed to hold faultless but at Israel.
Michale holds Israel as the sole villain and Hamas as innocent victim. He declined to include in his article the distinction between Hamas and the non-Hamas Arabs of Gaza. I am of the opinion that Hamas left Israel with a Sophie’s Choice: A) Don’t bomb, save the children, and allow the sadistic rapes and murders to go unpunished and therefore ensure that they will happen again or B) Bomb despite the children and annihilate the perpetrators in the hopes that there will be no future “October 7th” horrors.
Even after all this has been said, we have not touched on the history of the nomadic Arabs of from the 1890’s to present day that led to Zion and eventually the madness that is the 21st century Middle East. Nor have we talked about the politically incorrect subject of comparative cultural values and traits. Cultural variation and its impact when cultures collide is the deeper story. One which we shall leave for another day.
Organizations and International BodiesNumerous organizations, including intergovernmental bodies (IGOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and international NGOs (INGOs), have explicitly declared or accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, often citing violations of the 1948 Genocide Convention through actions like mass killings, destruction of infrastructure, and imposed life conditions. Below is a compiled list based on public statements and reports up to October 2025, focusing on those with clear declarations (not just "risk"). Israeli organizations are marked with an asterisk (*).United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory: Declared in September 2025 that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, citing deliberate destruction of healthcare and civilian infrastructure.
International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS): Passed a resolution in August 2025 stating Israel's actions meet the legal definition of genocide, backed by 86% of voting members.
African Union: Issued a communiqué in 2024-2025 condemning Israel for genocide and calling for international prosecution.
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC): In May 2024, called for ending arms exports used in the "crime of genocide" in Gaza.
Arab League: In August 2025, joint statement with 31 countries condemned Israel's "genocide and ethnic cleansing" via starvation policies.
Amnesty International: In December 2024, explicitly accused Israel of genocide; supported Israeli NGOs' findings in July 2025.
Human Rights Watch: In December 2024, declared Israel's actions as genocide, calling for arms embargoes and sanctions.
B’Tselem* (Israeli human rights NGO): In June 2025, report "Our Genocide" concluded Israel's actions constitute genocide, including in the West Bank.
Physicians for Human Rights Israel* (Israeli medical NGO): In July 2025, medical-legal analysis found deliberate destruction of Gaza's healthcare as part of a genocidal policy.
Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières: In September 2025, accused Israel of genocide through attacks on civilians and aid blockades.
Oxfam: In July 2025, declared genocide based on famine and displacement.
Al-Haq (Palestinian human rights NGO): In May 2025, accused genocide and sought ICC arrest warrants.
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights: In May 2025, joint statement declaring genocide.
Defence for Children International: In May 2025, accused genocide against children in Gaza.
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights: In May 2025, declared genocide in joint statement.
Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention: In October 2023, explicitly accused genocide and called for sanctions.
Center for Constitutional Rights: In December 2023, declared genocide and sought arms embargo.
International Federation for Human Rights: In December 2023, accused genocide.
Save the Children (and over 20 major aid agencies, including ActionAid, Action Against Hunger, CAFOD, Islamic Relief Worldwide, and Norwegian Refugee Council): In September 2025, collective call recognizing UN's genocide finding and urging action.
Other Notable Humanitarian NGOs/INGOs (over 100 in collective statements, e.g., from October 2024 onward): Include Adalah, American Friends Service Committee, Christian Aid, Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, Genocide Watch, International Centre of Justice for Palestinians, Médecins du Monde, Middle East Children's Alliance, and War Child, all accusing genocide with calls for ceasefires, aid, and accountability.
Genocide Scholars and HistoriansDozens of genocide scholars and historians have declared Israel's actions in Gaza as genocide, often emphasizing intent through statements by officials, systematic destruction, and denial of essentials. Israeli or Israeli-origin scholars are marked with an asterisk (*). This list focuses on prominent individuals from academic associations like IAGS and expert analyses.Omer Bartov* (Israeli-American, Brown University, Holocaust and Genocide Studies): In July 2025 and December 2024, stated Israel is committing genocide, citing erasure of Palestinian life.
Amos Goldberg* (Israeli, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jewish History): In October 2024, declared Gaza a genocide, noting its non-existence as a place and genocidal rhetoric in Israeli discourse.
Raz Segal* (Israeli, Stockton University, Holocaust and Genocide Studies): In July 2025 and earlier, called it genocide with no credible counterarguments from peers.
Shmuel Lederman* (Israeli, Open University of Israel, Political Theory and Genocide Studies): In May 2025, shifted to declaring genocide based on ICJ non-compliance and aid blockades.
Daniel Blatman* (Israeli, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Holocaust History): Accused genocide in Gaza.
Lee Mordechai* (Israeli, Hebrew University, Historian): Declared Israel's actions as genocide.
Avi Shlaim* (Israeli-British, University of Oxford, International Relations): Author of "Genocide in Gaza" (2025), explicitly declares it genocide.
Ilan Pappé* (Israeli, University of Exeter, Historian): Long-time scholar calling Gaza events genocide.
Anthony Dirk Moses (City University of New York, Journal of Genocide Research Editor): In May 2025, described Israel's campaign as genocidal.
Melanie O'Brien (University of Western Australia, IAGS President): In May 2025, determined genocide via denial of food, water, and sanitation.
Martin Shaw (University of Sussex/Barcelona Institute, Genocide Author): In May 2025, called it genocide.
Uğur Ümit Üngör (University of Amsterdam/NIOD, Genocide Studies): In May 2025, viewed it as genocide in final stages, like a "dimmer switch."
Iva Vukusic (Utrecht University, Genocide Researcher): In May 2025, described as genocidal.
William Schabas (Middlesex University/Leiden, International Law): In May 2025, opined "absolutely" a genocide, unparalleled recently.
John Quigley (Ohio State University, International Law): Accused genocide under the Convention.
Dov Waxman (UCLA, Israel Studies): Declared genocide in Gaza.
This list is not exhaustive but covers key declarations as of October 2025; consensus among scholars has grown, with IAGS's resolution representing hundreds.
Thank you for your detailed, thorough, comprehensive and well supported counter to my earlier argument that Israel may not be guilty of genocide per se. AI is a wonderful tool, is it not.
First, let me say that your response here today listing the all the organizations, all the scholars, NGO’s, IGO’s, intellectuals and various thinkers and commentors that agree with your assessment that Israel has committed and continues to commit genocide in Gaza moves me to think more deeply about my provisional assessment that Israel is victim and Hamas is villain. This response is impressive and much in keeping with the brilliant debater and morally insightful Michale I know. Jousting with you on issues is a bit anxiety provoking as you are much wider read than me and certainly rank higher in the IQ percentile ladder. Nevertheless, I would like to continue the conversation.
I have no dog in this fight. I am neither pro-Israel nor pro-Palestinian. In fact, I tend to agree with you that the U.S., perhaps, over-involves itself in the affairs of Israel. I simply seek to discern for myself the moral and ethical implications of the Hamas-Israeli exchanges over the last few years.
Although you and those you cite here today make a more than plausible case that the linguistic term “genocide” might well apply to the Israeli bombings of Gaza, you and they still remain silent on two important questions: 1) The impact of the inciting event that was the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas on the Israeli music festival and on the Israeli families in the surrounding villages and; 2) Which precisely are ethnic group Israel seeks to eliminate from existence. The reason I continue our conversation is that it seems to me that no valid moral assessment, regardless of the terminology used, can be done without answering these questions.
I've addressed the question of 10/7 in a previous substack. However, I deleted it after dozens of unsubscribes.
First of all, Israel's narrative about Oct. 7th is full of hasbara (Israeli propaganda) and lies. Former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, a retired major general and high-ranking military commander who previously led the IDF's Southern Command, admitted to authorizing the use of the Hannibal Directive during the October 7, 2023, attack. In an interview with Israel's Channel 12, Gallant confirmed that the directive—which permits the use of force to prevent captures even at the risk of harming Israeli hostages—was issued tactically in some locations, stating, "I think that, tactically, in some places, it was given, and in other places, it was not given, and that is a problem." This admission came amid broader reports and investigations indicating the directive was applied at multiple sites, contributing to Israeli casualties, if not responsible for most of them. Additionally, Brigadier General Barak Hiram, commander of the IDF's 99th Division, admitted to ordering tank fire on a house in Kibbutz Be'eri where Hamas held Israeli hostages, explicitly acknowledging it was "even at the cost of civilian casualties." This action aligns with the Hannibal Directive's principles, though Hiram did not use the term itself in his statements. Lieutenant Colonel Nof Erez, an Israeli Air Force officer, also admitted that the response constituted a "mass Hannibal," describing widespread application beyond standard protocol, including drone and helicopter strikes on vehicles and settlements. The IDF killed many if not most of the Israelis who died on Oct. 7th.
The IDF was ordered to stand down for six to seven hours before responding. Even Charlie Kirk questioned the IDF's reluctance to respond. An IDF soldier was interviewed under oath by the Knesset and reported that indeed his unit was ordered to stay away from the border wall, even before it was being breached! Videos of the attack show unnamed and unmarked people letting Hamas into Israel through a gate in the wall.
October 7th was an inside-outside job. Israel apparently coordinated the attack with Hamas, whom they funded for decades, right up until Oct 7th. In September, Israel delivered millions in cash to Hamas, no doubt for purchasing weapons on the black market.
I don't believe a word of Israel's narrative about Oct. 7th.
I think you continue to miss my points. Perhaps I am not being clear or perhaps you deliberately choose to ignore them. Perhaps you are simply "virtue signalizing" your kindred spirits. In any event, you are, in your long digressions, avoiding responding to my points. My first point is to call into question whether or not the Israeli bombing response to the October 7th attacks constitutes, by clear English-language definition, "genocide". Words should mean what words mean, if they don't language becomes useless. My second point is that any discussion of the Israeli bombing response, if it is to be honest, complete and accurate, must include an exploration of the emotional impact of the October 7th attacks on the people of Israel. If you choose not to believe a word spoken by the Israeli civilians who recount rapes, murders, and atrocities they experienced on October 7th, so be it. There can be no viable argument to such a choice.
Hi Brian, You making an interesting comment and have a question about it. What do you mean when say that government institutions are "zionized". While I understand the history of Zionism and the history of Jewish settlement throughout the area called Palestine over the last century or so, I am having trouble understanding what would, in real-world terms, constitute the operational aspects of institutions being zionized. Thanks so much for any elaboration you might feel like providing - Brent Perkins writing on Substack as the Voice of Commonsense.
I support, and the publisher I am, Canadian Jewess' boycott of companies that support the Israeli government. See http://www.truedemocracy.net/boycotts6.htm
I have been dismayed with these results, but I saw it coming from the beginning of the first Trump administration.
Its like when you are at the kids table at Thanksgiving "you get your Turkey after the big people". The America first schtick is just that.
Michael Rectenwald: Disentangling the Zionist Lobby Through AZAPAC
https://geopoliticsandempire.substack.com/p/michael-rectenwald-disentangling
Trump is Israel first. Time for him to go.
American First, not Israel first. Israel can fuck off, and I'm Jewish.
Incredible presentation of the receipts regarding the Zionist takeover of our country. Thank God you are organizing the resistance.
Eye-opening. Please add footnotes next time. I have volunteered to help.
Thank you! We're having an open meeting on X (an X space) tonight at 7 PM. If you're on X, try to join: https://x.com/RecTheRegime/status/1974900125169533151
Hmmmm. Can you now do a deep dive into the complete and utter takeover of the Democrat Party by Democratic Socialists, Communists in general, Anti-Fascists (communists), as well as still keeping remnants of the KKK (it created and ran the organization), so that we can understand that Israel is the least of our problems? Are you up to the task? Not too biased that your vision is clouded?
I doubt it…
Yeah, right. You're deluded if you buy into the left-right simulacrum. It too is a zionist psyop. All 39 trillion dollars of U.S. debt can be traced to U.S. subservience to Israel.
Using big words helped you not!
If you think those are "big words," I am guessing that you're a retard.
I felt like I was banging my head against the wall
trying to read through this.
Between Islam in Gaza, and Judaism in Israel /
and the Untied states — I can't say that I care
too much one way or another.
I think it's my lack of education on the matter, ultimately —
I don't think the US has been Zionised - but it's leaders have definitely be captured or blackmailed (either by false theology or perhaps personal blackmail). So I think Trump being called "Bibi's B*tch" is probably more apt than Zion Don.
while Trump have been the f9inalistion, it is also similar for ending support for Israel too
I seen little point in, what seems , targeting Trump over Biden myself
In fact. In fact I will consider it as an attempt to whitewash Biden as a goal too
Has nothing to do with whitewashing the war criminal Biden.
then why did your article seem to concentrate all on Trump ?
Because the mask has come completely off under Trump, the most loyal "friend of Israel" according to Netanyahu himself. Read the article again, if not for the first time.
you think pulling it off that last piece of head matters that much ?
I want to respond to my friend Michael Recteonwold’s article published on Substack this past Sunday. As I understand from the article, Professor Rectenwald is: 1) Assuming and expecting his readers to accept the assumption that Israel is carrying out a genocide of Arab’s living in the Gaza Strip. Before proceeding, let’s pause to look at the definition of genocide.
GENOCIDE: The deliberate and systematic killing or persecution of a large number of people from a particular national or ethnic group with the aim of destroying that nation or group with the aim of destroying that nation or group.
Given this definition, is Israel in truth and in fact carrying out an active campaign of genocide in the Gaza strip? Let’s analyze Israeli actions and intent to see if they fall within this definition. The Israeli attacks and killings in Gaza are intended to kill all of the members of the political group and para-military organization Hamas. Hamas operates in Gaza and is headquartered in the Gaza Strip. In so far as the publicly available evidence supports a conclusion on the question of “was it a genocide”, Israel, it would seem is not seeking to annihilate and eliminate a national or ethic group. They are seeking, it seems, to destroy a para-military organization. Not just any para-military organization but one that has on several occasions attacked Israeli citizens. Given this fact, the Israeli bombings, and war-violence in Gaza, while brutal, do not constitute genocide because the requisite intent of annihilating an ethnic group seems to be lacking. This is not to diminish the horror and suffering caused by these bombings.
But we cannot stop the moral analysis here because the Israeli attacks on Gaza and the Hamas response to those attacks encompass other variables and complexities that must be examined if the morality of the Israeli bombings are to be fairly assessed. Let’s look at some of these complexities.
First, on October 7, 2023 Hamas para-military personnel and random Hamas supporters from the Gaza Strip launched an unprovoked attack on Israeli civilians. These Israeli civilians were largely young people who were an attending the Nova Music Festival (also known as the Supernova Sukkot Gathering) near Kibbutz Re'im, close to the Gaza border. These young Israeli’s were unarmed and peacefully participating in the festival. It is inarguable that the October 7th Hamas attacks occurred. Let’s look at some evidence on the public record.
1) Israeli and NGO Report: The Dinah Project (July 2025), an all-women legal team, reviewed 17+ witness testimonies for 15+ assault cases, including gang rapes and forced viewing of rapes at gunpoint; it called this a "genocidal strategy." The Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel analyzed testimonies showing Hamas forcing family members to watch rapes. A Haaretz report (April 2024) cited three Hamas confessions to rapes during interrogations.
2) Forensic Challenges and Corroboration: Autopsies were limited—many bodies were too damaged for full exams—but ZAKA volunteers noted widespread nudity and genital injuries among female victims. A Bar-Ilan University study (2025) linked this to tactical dehumanization.
Other evidence and sources make a strong case for the reality and brutality of the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023.
Michale’s article says nothing about the October 7th Hamas crossing of the Gaza border to commit violent crimes of the most sadistic nature. Any objective effort to determine the morality (or lack thereof) regarding the retaliatory bombings and attacks by Israel must, in my mind at least, include weighing the impact of Hamas rapes and sadism committed. These were acts of murder and rape on the Israelis attending the music festival. Israel did not just wake up one day and decide to send bombs into the Gaza Strip out of an uncontrollable hatred for Arabs.
Michale’s article accurately states that the Israeli bombings targeted hospitals and schools that included among other victims, children. Michale is correct. The Israeli military did indeed target hospitals and schools and as a result, many children were killed. Much of Michael’s moral indictment of Israel cites this targeting of hospitals and schools. And he is right to be troubled by this. What he did not include in the article is this: Hamas leadership and its para-military personnel that committed the October 7th attacks barricaded themselves in the very hospitals and schools Michael references. They then used the patients and children as human shields. Hamas then dared Isarel to bomb. What was Israels’ response?
The Israeli response was to immediately halt all bombing for weeks. They limited war operation to ground combat searching for hiding Hamas operatives. During these weeks, the Israeli government told Hamas that it must leave the schools and hospitals and go elsewhere. Hamas did not leave. It remained in the hospitals and schools thumbing their noses at the Israeli government and keeping their captives from leaving. The helpless patients and terrified children were caught in the middle as Hamas seemed happy to hide behind them in the belief that Israel and the West would never allow themselves to face the virulent rage that would certainly be heaped upon them if Israel bombed. After a number of ultimatums. And after a considerable campaign to warn all non-Hamas residents of the Gaza Strip to leave, they began to bomb. Many children died as a result. And many in West were in a rage. Not at Hamas, whom they seemed to hold faultless but at Israel.
Michale holds Israel as the sole villain and Hamas as innocent victim. He declined to include in his article the distinction between Hamas and the non-Hamas Arabs of Gaza. I am of the opinion that Hamas left Israel with a Sophie’s Choice: A) Don’t bomb, save the children, and allow the sadistic rapes and murders to go unpunished and therefore ensure that they will happen again or B) Bomb despite the children and annihilate the perpetrators in the hopes that there will be no future “October 7th” horrors.
Even after all this has been said, we have not touched on the history of the nomadic Arabs of from the 1890’s to present day that led to Zion and eventually the madness that is the 21st century Middle East. Nor have we talked about the politically incorrect subject of comparative cultural values and traits. Cultural variation and its impact when cultures collide is the deeper story. One which we shall leave for another day.
Dude, you don't want me to bring the receipts. Your claim is so utterly uniformed as to be worthless were it not dangerous.
Specifics, please.
Organizations and International BodiesNumerous organizations, including intergovernmental bodies (IGOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and international NGOs (INGOs), have explicitly declared or accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, often citing violations of the 1948 Genocide Convention through actions like mass killings, destruction of infrastructure, and imposed life conditions. Below is a compiled list based on public statements and reports up to October 2025, focusing on those with clear declarations (not just "risk"). Israeli organizations are marked with an asterisk (*).United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory: Declared in September 2025 that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, citing deliberate destruction of healthcare and civilian infrastructure.
International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS): Passed a resolution in August 2025 stating Israel's actions meet the legal definition of genocide, backed by 86% of voting members.
African Union: Issued a communiqué in 2024-2025 condemning Israel for genocide and calling for international prosecution.
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC): In May 2024, called for ending arms exports used in the "crime of genocide" in Gaza.
Arab League: In August 2025, joint statement with 31 countries condemned Israel's "genocide and ethnic cleansing" via starvation policies.
Amnesty International: In December 2024, explicitly accused Israel of genocide; supported Israeli NGOs' findings in July 2025.
Human Rights Watch: In December 2024, declared Israel's actions as genocide, calling for arms embargoes and sanctions.
B’Tselem* (Israeli human rights NGO): In June 2025, report "Our Genocide" concluded Israel's actions constitute genocide, including in the West Bank.
Physicians for Human Rights Israel* (Israeli medical NGO): In July 2025, medical-legal analysis found deliberate destruction of Gaza's healthcare as part of a genocidal policy.
Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières: In September 2025, accused Israel of genocide through attacks on civilians and aid blockades.
Oxfam: In July 2025, declared genocide based on famine and displacement.
Al-Haq (Palestinian human rights NGO): In May 2025, accused genocide and sought ICC arrest warrants.
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights: In May 2025, joint statement declaring genocide.
Defence for Children International: In May 2025, accused genocide against children in Gaza.
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights: In May 2025, declared genocide in joint statement.
Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention: In October 2023, explicitly accused genocide and called for sanctions.
Center for Constitutional Rights: In December 2023, declared genocide and sought arms embargo.
International Federation for Human Rights: In December 2023, accused genocide.
Save the Children (and over 20 major aid agencies, including ActionAid, Action Against Hunger, CAFOD, Islamic Relief Worldwide, and Norwegian Refugee Council): In September 2025, collective call recognizing UN's genocide finding and urging action.
Other Notable Humanitarian NGOs/INGOs (over 100 in collective statements, e.g., from October 2024 onward): Include Adalah, American Friends Service Committee, Christian Aid, Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, Genocide Watch, International Centre of Justice for Palestinians, Médecins du Monde, Middle East Children's Alliance, and War Child, all accusing genocide with calls for ceasefires, aid, and accountability.
Genocide Scholars and HistoriansDozens of genocide scholars and historians have declared Israel's actions in Gaza as genocide, often emphasizing intent through statements by officials, systematic destruction, and denial of essentials. Israeli or Israeli-origin scholars are marked with an asterisk (*). This list focuses on prominent individuals from academic associations like IAGS and expert analyses.Omer Bartov* (Israeli-American, Brown University, Holocaust and Genocide Studies): In July 2025 and December 2024, stated Israel is committing genocide, citing erasure of Palestinian life.
Amos Goldberg* (Israeli, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jewish History): In October 2024, declared Gaza a genocide, noting its non-existence as a place and genocidal rhetoric in Israeli discourse.
Raz Segal* (Israeli, Stockton University, Holocaust and Genocide Studies): In July 2025 and earlier, called it genocide with no credible counterarguments from peers.
Shmuel Lederman* (Israeli, Open University of Israel, Political Theory and Genocide Studies): In May 2025, shifted to declaring genocide based on ICJ non-compliance and aid blockades.
Daniel Blatman* (Israeli, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Holocaust History): Accused genocide in Gaza.
Lee Mordechai* (Israeli, Hebrew University, Historian): Declared Israel's actions as genocide.
Avi Shlaim* (Israeli-British, University of Oxford, International Relations): Author of "Genocide in Gaza" (2025), explicitly declares it genocide.
Ilan Pappé* (Israeli, University of Exeter, Historian): Long-time scholar calling Gaza events genocide.
Anthony Dirk Moses (City University of New York, Journal of Genocide Research Editor): In May 2025, described Israel's campaign as genocidal.
Melanie O'Brien (University of Western Australia, IAGS President): In May 2025, determined genocide via denial of food, water, and sanitation.
Martin Shaw (University of Sussex/Barcelona Institute, Genocide Author): In May 2025, called it genocide.
Uğur Ümit Üngör (University of Amsterdam/NIOD, Genocide Studies): In May 2025, viewed it as genocide in final stages, like a "dimmer switch."
Iva Vukusic (Utrecht University, Genocide Researcher): In May 2025, described as genocidal.
William Schabas (Middlesex University/Leiden, International Law): In May 2025, opined "absolutely" a genocide, unparalleled recently.
John Quigley (Ohio State University, International Law): Accused genocide under the Convention.
Dov Waxman (UCLA, Israel Studies): Declared genocide in Gaza.
This list is not exhaustive but covers key declarations as of October 2025; consensus among scholars has grown, with IAGS's resolution representing hundreds.
Michael,
Thank you for your detailed, thorough, comprehensive and well supported counter to my earlier argument that Israel may not be guilty of genocide per se. AI is a wonderful tool, is it not.
First, let me say that your response here today listing the all the organizations, all the scholars, NGO’s, IGO’s, intellectuals and various thinkers and commentors that agree with your assessment that Israel has committed and continues to commit genocide in Gaza moves me to think more deeply about my provisional assessment that Israel is victim and Hamas is villain. This response is impressive and much in keeping with the brilliant debater and morally insightful Michale I know. Jousting with you on issues is a bit anxiety provoking as you are much wider read than me and certainly rank higher in the IQ percentile ladder. Nevertheless, I would like to continue the conversation.
I have no dog in this fight. I am neither pro-Israel nor pro-Palestinian. In fact, I tend to agree with you that the U.S., perhaps, over-involves itself in the affairs of Israel. I simply seek to discern for myself the moral and ethical implications of the Hamas-Israeli exchanges over the last few years.
Although you and those you cite here today make a more than plausible case that the linguistic term “genocide” might well apply to the Israeli bombings of Gaza, you and they still remain silent on two important questions: 1) The impact of the inciting event that was the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas on the Israeli music festival and on the Israeli families in the surrounding villages and; 2) Which precisely are ethnic group Israel seeks to eliminate from existence. The reason I continue our conversation is that it seems to me that no valid moral assessment, regardless of the terminology used, can be done without answering these questions.
More here: https://mrectenwald.substack.com/p/the-golden-pager-and-the-regular
I've addressed the question of 10/7 in a previous substack. However, I deleted it after dozens of unsubscribes.
First of all, Israel's narrative about Oct. 7th is full of hasbara (Israeli propaganda) and lies. Former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, a retired major general and high-ranking military commander who previously led the IDF's Southern Command, admitted to authorizing the use of the Hannibal Directive during the October 7, 2023, attack. In an interview with Israel's Channel 12, Gallant confirmed that the directive—which permits the use of force to prevent captures even at the risk of harming Israeli hostages—was issued tactically in some locations, stating, "I think that, tactically, in some places, it was given, and in other places, it was not given, and that is a problem." This admission came amid broader reports and investigations indicating the directive was applied at multiple sites, contributing to Israeli casualties, if not responsible for most of them. Additionally, Brigadier General Barak Hiram, commander of the IDF's 99th Division, admitted to ordering tank fire on a house in Kibbutz Be'eri where Hamas held Israeli hostages, explicitly acknowledging it was "even at the cost of civilian casualties." This action aligns with the Hannibal Directive's principles, though Hiram did not use the term itself in his statements. Lieutenant Colonel Nof Erez, an Israeli Air Force officer, also admitted that the response constituted a "mass Hannibal," describing widespread application beyond standard protocol, including drone and helicopter strikes on vehicles and settlements. The IDF killed many if not most of the Israelis who died on Oct. 7th.
The IDF was ordered to stand down for six to seven hours before responding. Even Charlie Kirk questioned the IDF's reluctance to respond. An IDF soldier was interviewed under oath by the Knesset and reported that indeed his unit was ordered to stay away from the border wall, even before it was being breached! Videos of the attack show unnamed and unmarked people letting Hamas into Israel through a gate in the wall.
October 7th was an inside-outside job. Israel apparently coordinated the attack with Hamas, whom they funded for decades, right up until Oct 7th. In September, Israel delivered millions in cash to Hamas, no doubt for purchasing weapons on the black market.
I don't believe a word of Israel's narrative about Oct. 7th.
I think you continue to miss my points. Perhaps I am not being clear or perhaps you deliberately choose to ignore them. Perhaps you are simply "virtue signalizing" your kindred spirits. In any event, you are, in your long digressions, avoiding responding to my points. My first point is to call into question whether or not the Israeli bombing response to the October 7th attacks constitutes, by clear English-language definition, "genocide". Words should mean what words mean, if they don't language becomes useless. My second point is that any discussion of the Israeli bombing response, if it is to be honest, complete and accurate, must include an exploration of the emotional impact of the October 7th attacks on the people of Israel. If you choose not to believe a word spoken by the Israeli civilians who recount rapes, murders, and atrocities they experienced on October 7th, so be it. There can be no viable argument to such a choice.
Hi Brian, You making an interesting comment and have a question about it. What do you mean when say that government institutions are "zionized". While I understand the history of Zionism and the history of Jewish settlement throughout the area called Palestine over the last century or so, I am having trouble understanding what would, in real-world terms, constitute the operational aspects of institutions being zionized. Thanks so much for any elaboration you might feel like providing - Brent Perkins writing on Substack as the Voice of Commonsense.