Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Israeli media: One soldier killed, 11 wounded during the security incident in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, and the fate of the 4 soldiers remains unknown
Israeli media: IOF withdraw from Al-Zaytoun neighborhood
Israeli media: Face-to-face clashes with machine guns between Hamas and Israeli forces in Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City
Israeli media: Helicopters sent to evacuate troops from Al-Zaytoun are under heavy fire
Israeli media: A new security incident at an additional location in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City
Israeli media: Search for 4 missing soldiers in Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City.
Israeli media platform: In the second incident, two injured people were transported from Gaza, and we are awaiting the authorities to notify the families to provide additional details shortly
Israeli media platform: 3 security incidents reported in Gaza
Israeli media platform: A serious incident in Gaza... A dead soldier was evacuated under fire... and an additional evacuation helicopter was dispatched
Israeli media outlet: Fierce battles ongoing between our forces and "militants" in the Gaza Strip

Prominent US Zionist says 'Israel' carrying out genocide in Gaza

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Israeli media
  • 6 Aug 2025 09:08
  • 8 Shares
3 Min Read

Jeremy Ben-Ami, head of J Street, now says he believes "Israel" is committing genocide in Gaza, citing legal and scholarly arguments.

Listen
  • x
  • Prominent US Zionist says 'Israel' carrying out genocide in Gaza
    Jeremy Ben-Ami's address to J Street's 2022 National Conference on December 3, 2022 (J Street Website)

After repeatedly rejecting the tag, Jeremy Ben-Ami, head of liberal Zionist lobby group J street, admits that "Israel's" war crimes in the Gaza Strip amount to genocide.

In a statement published Sunday, Ben-Ami said he had been "persuaded rationally" by legal and scholarly arguments and could no longer oppose those using the term to describe the ongoing war.

His shift marks a significant change among liberal pro-"Israel" voices in the US, as pressure mounts over the occupation's crimes in Gaza. Ben-Ami stated that while he is unlikely to use the term "genocide" himself, he will no longer challenge its use as he would not defend "the indefensible."

In a newsletter sent on the day marking the Tisha B'Av holiday, Ben-Ami reflected on the Holocaust and his family's history before outlining the rationale behind his change of heart. He cited actions such as denying food and necessities to civilians, shooting at those seeking aid, the destruction of Gaza’s infrastructure, and the forced displacement of its population as key indicators.

"I have...been persuaded rationally by legal and scholarly arguments that international courts will one day find that Israel has broken the international genocide convention," Ben-Ami wrote.

Related News

Israeli genocide escalates as IOF declare Gaza City ‘combat zone’

Trump holds Gaza policy meeting with Tony Blair, Jared Kushner

Global reactions to humanitarian crisis in Gaza

Ben-Ami’s change in position follows growing international backlash over the Israeli-manufactured humanitarian crisis in Gaza. He previously denied the genocide claim in a podcast debate with journalist Mehdi Hasan. However, images of emaciated Palestinians and reports of mass starvation have contributed to him shifting his views.

Despite mounting evidence of Israeli occupation soldiers, even US mercenaries, shooting at Palestinians at and near aid sites, "Israel" continues to deny targeting civilians or causing famine, blaming the Palestinian Resistance for hijacking aid.

The Gaza Government Media Office shared statistics showing the number of aid trucks that have entered the Strip since July 27, when the Israeli occupation allegedly permitted the entry of humanitarian aid.

Between July 27 and August 3, #Gaza should have received at least 4,800… pic.twitter.com/BUofugokYr

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) August 4, 2025

Accusations from human rights groups and lawmakers

Two major Israeli human rights organizations, B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights, recently accused "Israel" of coordinated efforts to destroy Palestinian society in Gaza. They labeled the campaign a deliberate attempt at societal annihilation. Additionally, renowned Israeli author David Grossman also described the campaign in Gaza as a “genocide,” expressing his anguish in an interview with Italy's La Repubblica.

Even former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has become an outspoken critic of "Israel’s" genocidal war on Gaza, labeling it as criminal, close to war crimes, and amounting to ethnic cleansing. He holds the current political leadership responsible for the humanitarian catastrophe and has called for both domestic political change and international intervention to end the war.

Meanwhile, in the US, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene became the first Republican lawmaker to use the term publicly, deepening the partisan divide over support for "Israel."

  • genocide in Gaza
  • Gaza Strip
  • zionist lobby
  • war on Gaza
  • Gaza genocide
  • Trump administration
  • J Street
  • Marjorie Taylor Greene
  • Israeli lobby
  • Donald Trump
War on Gaza

War on Gaza

Most Read

Almost instantly after the Helsinki Accords were signed, organisations sprouted to document purported violations, whose findings were fed to overseas embassies for international amplification. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

How ‘Human Rights’ became a Western weapon

  • Opinion
  • 23 Aug 2025
Tom Barrack's imperial tantrum in Beirut: When entitlement speaks (Photo by Mahdi Rtail)

Tom Barrack's imperial tantrum in Beirut: When entitlement speaks

  • Politics
  • 26 Aug 2025
Although it does seem likely they will launch some kind of operation in northern Gaza, one which will accelerate its mass murder of civilians, but will fail to achieve its stated objectives. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Here is why the Israeli occupation of Gaza won’t work

  • Opinion
  • 26 Aug 2025
YAF spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree announced a new operation targeting Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv, August 27, 2025 (Yemeni Military Media)

Yemen attacks al-Lydd airport in Yafa using ballistic missile

  • Politics
  • 27 Aug 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Global Sumud flotilla sets sail to break blockade on Gaza
Palestine

Global Sumud flotilla, largest yet, to set sail bound for Gaza

A Palestinian flag flies next to a Slovenian, center, and a European Union flag, right, at the government building in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Thursday, May 30, 2024 (AP)
Politics

Slovenia mulls entry ban for Israeli PM Netanyahu

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan speaks during a joint news conference following a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, May 27, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Turkey severs 'Israel' trade ties, closes airspace to Israeli aircraft

Maduro vows Venezuela is 'impenetrable' as US warships mear Caribbean
Latin America

Maduro vows Venezuela is 'impenetrable' as US warships near Caribbean

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS