How the term “genocide” is misused in the Israel-Hamas war

Editor’s note (January 9th 2024): This article has been updated since publication.

ON JANUARY 11TH South Africa will bring a case before the UN’s International Court of Justice accusing Israel of committing a genocide in Gaza. Palestinians have accused Israel of the same crime, as have the country’s long-standing enemies, such as Iran. But it is a sign of the mounting outrage at Israel’s offensive in the territory that the allegation is being heard increasingly from other countries.