The Lemkin Institute Issues Urgent Appeals on Genocide in Gaza
The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention and Human Security has released three critical statements this week condemning the ongoing genocide in Gaza and calling for immediate international action.
1. “Four Facts About Israel’s Genocide”
This statement challenges the delayed acknowledgment of genocide by major NGOs, media outlets, and governments. It underscores that genocide is not limited to mass killings but includes systemic acts of destruction, displacement, and dehumanization over time. The Lemkin Institute argues that Western gatekeeping of the term “genocide” has directly contributed to the unchecked escalation of violence against Palestinians.
2. “We’re Glad to See You Use the G-Word, But Now You Must Act”
Responding to a shift in political and institutional rhetoric, this piece calls for action, not just language. The Lemkin Institute urges a global coalition of states to:
End arms shipments to Israel,
Suspend diplomatic ties,
Establish a multilateral peacekeeping force (with Palestinian consent),
And create an international tribunal for war crimes.
The Institute likens the necessary transformation to post-WWII denazification, stating that without systemic accountability, both Palestinians and Israelis remain in danger.
3. “We Sacrifice Law and Morality When We Allow Israel to Commit Genocide Without Repercussions”
This powerful message mourns the tragic killing of Sarah Lynn Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky, two young Israeli embassy employees murdered in Washington, D.C., allegedly in retributive protest for Gaza. The Institute condemns the violence, while also warning that such tragedies are being exploited to justify further repression of anti-genocide activists and broader escalation, including potential military actions against Iran.
“Genocide has no self-limiting mechanisms... Everywhere genocidal thinking spreads, it destroys the prospect of peace and coexistence.”
— Dr. Elisa von Joeden-Forgey, Co-Executive Director, Lemkin Institute
A Warning and a Plea
Throughout these statements, the Lemkin Institute maintains that the genocide against Palestinians—driven by Israeli state policy, political ideology, and systemic impunity—will continue to radicalize if unopposed. The failure of institutions to act earlier has led to what they describe as one of the most devastating man-made tragedies of our time.
They caution that without accountability, human rights, international law, and moral standards worldwide will collapse under the weight of their own hypocrisy.
Read the full statements here:
🔗 Lemkin Institute Newsletter – May 2025
For further discussion, support resources, or links to advocacy and education efforts, contact the Lemkin Institute or visit their platform to engage with anti-genocide activism and policy development.