Credibility of 'Genocide Scholars' association undermined by low standards, fake memberships

The International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) recently drew international attention with a statement asserting that “Israel’s policies and actions in Gaza meet the legal definition of genocide and constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.”

Critics have also questioned the association’s credibility, pointing out that membership requires only a $30 fee, enabling anyone to register as a “genocide scholar.” Concerns have grown further after fake member accounts were discovered under names such as “Adolf Hitler” and Star Wars character Emperor Palpatine. The group has seen a sharp increase in membership since the Hamas mass terror attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Internet archives show that IAGS membership nearly tripled, rising from 150 on Oct. 2, 2023, to approximately 440 by the time of its recent anti-Israel resolution.

On Wednesday, Honest Reporting Board Member Salo Aizenberg and Middle East analyst, Eitan Fischberger, revealed on social media how easy it is for politically driven individuals to become “genocide scholars.”

“It turns out literally anyone can join this body and vote on matters that make international headlines – like the resolution claiming Israel is committing genocide,” Aizenberg wrote on 𝕏.

“Yes, there are some legitimate academics who are members. But when an organization with no standards, no transparency, and no accountability makes sweeping pronouncements about ‘genocide,’ it isn’t scholarship – it’s politics masquerading as scholarship. And everyone deserves to know the difference," he added.

By Wednesday evening, IAGS deactivated new members, like Fischberger, who were designated as “inactive.”

“I want my $30 back,” he told The Jerusalem Post.

BBC and other news outlets emphasized that 86% of the “genocide scholars” had voted for defining the Israeli military operations in Gaza against Hamas as “genocide.” However, only 28% of its members participated in the voting.

The controversy over the IAGS resolution highlighted broader concerns about the politicization of the “genocide” charge. Similar issues have emerged over the past year.

In November 2024, the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP) reported that Iran was funding South Africa’s “genocide” case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Israel and Western allies, such as the United States and Germany, have strongly rejected the genocide allegations in Gaza.

A new 311-page study and report titled "Debunking the Genocide Allegations: A Reexamination of the Israel-Hamas War (2023–2025)," published by the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, examines the claims against Israel, dismantling the faulty basis used to support the accusations.