NEW YORK — Morton “Mort” Klein, National President of the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), expressed outrage over the International Association of Genocide Scholars’ (IAGS) continued silence regarding Hamas’s explicit campaign of genocide against Jews.
Klein stated, “It is extraordinary that the International Association of Genocide Scholars ignores the fact that Hamas is actively pursuing genocide and is not even hiding it.”
Hamas’s founding charter calls for the murder of every Jew on earth, positioning this message at the heart of its ideology. On October 7, 2023, thousands of Hamas terrorists launched an unprovoked attack on Israel, killing, raping, and kidnapping civilians in a calculated and systematic manner, actions widely recognized by legal experts as constituting genocide under international law.
Senior Hamas leaders, such as Mahmoud al-Zahar, have publicly reiterated their intent to commit mass murder, not only of Jews but also of Christians, amplifying the threat with statements that evoke Nazi-like calls for extermination.
In stark contrast, Israel is engaged in a defensive campaign to dismantle Hamas and protect its citizens. Renowned military scholars, including West Point’s John Spencer, note that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) abide by a historic moral code, employing strict measures to minimize civilian casualties, including leaflets, phone calls, and evacuation warnings to Gaza civilians.
Israel continues to maintain some of the lowest civilian-to-combatant casualty ratios in modern warfare, an achievement recognized by international military experts.
Klein condemned scholarly and institutional statements that, by ignoring Hamas’s genocidal intent, lend credibility to anti-Israel propaganda. He argued that such inaction “emboldens Hamas and prolongs a war that will only end when Hamas and its genocidal agenda are defeated.”
Jewish leaders and global advocates continue to call for truth, justice, and unwavering support for Israel’s right to defend its people against those who openly threaten their annihilation.
This article is based on verified information from the Zionist Organization of America, Cambridge University Press, The Atlantic, Israel Studies Global Anti-Semitism Project, and statements from leading Jewish organizations and military experts.