Sir Ephraim Mirvis, the UK's chief rabbi, has condemned the use of the term 'genocide' to describe Israel's military actions in Gaza, calling it a 'disingenuous misappropriation' that undermines the memory of the Holocaust and other historical genocides.
Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, Mirvis argued that Israel is not intent on the 'purposeful annihilation of a people' and noted that if it were, it could have 'leveled Gaza in a matter of days'. He emphasised that the war would end if Hamas released hostages and laid down arms, which should 'preclude any allegation of genocide'.
The chief rabbi's comments come after South Africa brought a case at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocidal acts. Israel has dismissed the case as baseless, accusing South Africa of presenting a distorted view of the conflict.
Mirvis acknowledged the tragic suffering of innocent Palestinians but argued that the real genocidal force in the conflict is Hamas, citing its founding charter and leaders' statements about repeating atrocities. He called for more 'sober and honest' discourse, warning that the accusation of genocide harms the cause of peace.
