Over 6,000 Scholars and Lawyers Reject Genocide Claims Against Israel

More than 6,000 prominent scholars, lawyers, historians, and political figures have signed an open letter denouncing accusations of genocide against Israel in Gaza as a "blood libel." The initiative, spearheaded by Yossi Klein Halevi, Rabbi Yitzchak Greenberg, Rabbi Michael Oppenheimer, and historian Jonathan Karp, was published by Creative Community for Peace.

The signatories acknowledged the moral distress and pain within the Jewish community over losses but stressed the need to unite against the "lie of genocide." They highlighted the unprecedented challenges Israel faces in urban warfare, citing Hamas's use of tunnels, booby-trapped buildings, and civilian shields. The letter argues that the civilian-to-combatant casualty ratio in Gaza is relatively low for asymmetrical urban conflicts.

Furthermore, the document points to the absence of mass starvation and the issuance of advance warnings to civilians before military operations. Notable signatories include Harvard Professor Steven Pinker, historians Niall Ferguson, Benny Morris, Deborah Lipstadt, Simon Sebag Montefiore, and former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

The authors asserted that Israel is combating a terrorist threat that emerged after the October 7th attacks, referencing the Jewish state's complex historical context. The letter's signatories initially numbered over 5,000 but rapidly increased.