Genocide Scholars Member: Israel Resolution Forced Through Without Debate

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A scholar within the International Association for Genocide Scholars criticized the group Monday for adopting a resolution accusing Israel of genocide without the open debate that is usually standard procedure.

Sara Brown, who has studied genocide for more than a decade, said she has been affiliated with the association for over 10 years and previously served two consecutive four-year terms on its advisory board. In addition, she currently heads the San Diego office of the American Jewish Committee.

According to Brown, the association has historically handled contentious resolutions through virtual town halls, giving members the chance to deliberate. However, she says leadership chose to bypass this process for the measure targeting Israel.

“The content of the resolution and the way it was forced through speak to an embarrassing absence of professionalism,” she said. Brown also objected to the resolution’s reliance on organizations such as Amnesty International that, she said, stretched the meaning of genocide to include Israel.

Correspondence reviewed by The Times of Israel revealed that in late July, the association’s leaders initially told members there would be a town hall about the Israel resolution. Days later, they reversed course, citing a decision by the executive board.

The leadership further blocked opposing views from being circulated on the group’s list serve, claiming it was not meant for such exchanges, and withheld the identities of those who drafted the resolution, the emails indicated.

Brown noted that just 129 people cast votes on the measure, despite the association’s membership being estimated at roughly 500. Although members were informed of the ballot in advance, many likely abstained because they did not feel sufficiently knowledgeable to weigh in, she explained.

“That favors those activists who are seeking to advance a false narrative about Israel,” Brown argued. “It wasn’t rushed, it was just forced through without the usual transparency.”

She added that the association has broadened its ranks in recent years, shifting from being composed mainly of academics to also including activists and artists.

While Brown acknowledged that a wider range of voices can enrich discussions, she cautioned that it also “opens the door for something like this to happen.”

“The appearance is that this was a unanimous vote on behalf of the entirety of the association. It was not, and they refused to have a transparent, critical discussion,” Brown said. “The leadership, in my opinion, had an agenda.”

The result, she warned, is that the public will believe there is professional consensus. “The public is going to see, ‘Genocide experts agree.’ No, we don’t, and we were deliberately silenced.”