The head of liberal US-Israel lobbying group J Street Jeremy Ben-Ami has declared that Israel’s military campaign in Gaza meets the legal definition of genocide, just days after publicly rejecting the term in a high-profile exchange with journalist Mehdi Hasan.
The head of liberal US pro-Israel lobbying group J Street, Jeremy Ben-Ami, has said Israel’s military campaign in Gaza meets the legal definition of genocide – just days after publicly disputing the term in a high-profile exchange with journalist Mehdi Hasan.
In a Tisha B’Av newsletter to supporters, Ben-Ami said that while he was “unlikely to use the term” himself due to his family’s Holocaust history, “I cannot and will not argue any more against those using the term. I simply won’t defend the indefensible.”
His comments mark a significant reversal, as Ben-Ami had previously resisted describing Israel’s actions as genocide during a recent appearance on the Pod Save America podcast. The shift comes amid mounting evidence of mass civilian deaths, starvation, and forced displacement in Gaza.
Ben-Ami cited key examples of Israeli conduct, including the denial of food and essential supplies, the killing of civilians seeking aid, the destruction of infrastructure, and the confinement of the population into ever-smaller areas.
He wrote that international courts may ultimately decide that Israel had violated the Genocide Convention.
J Street has long positioned itself as a “pro-Israel, pro-peace” voice within the US political establishment. Ben-Ami, who served in the Clinton White House and worked in Israeli politics in the 1990s, founded the group in 2008. His family history is closely tied to early Zionist activism: his father, Yitzhak (Mike) Ben-Ami, was a member of the Irgun and considered a founding figure of the Israeli state.
In the newsletter, Ben-Ami said he had been persuaded by legal and scholarly arguments and no longer disputes those who describe Israel’s conduct in Gaza as genocidal.
His remarks reflect a wider shift among some prominent Israelis and Jewish voices, including rights organisations and writers, who have broken with the official narrative and raised concerns about potential crimes against humanity.
The Israeli government continues to reject allegations of genocide, saying its operations allegedly target Hamas and aim to “minimise” civilian harm. But months of siege, widespread hunger, and extensive civilian casualties have led to growing international condemnation and strengthened calls for accountability. Moreover, the staggering death toll of over 60,000 people, mostly women and children, tells a different story.
For many Palestinian advocates, Ben-Ami’s admission is significant as a key figure in the US pro-Israel lobby was now publicly acknowledging that the genocide framing has legal merit. That shift may widen political space for lawmakers to press for limits on military aid and stronger enforcement of international law.
Attention will now turn to whether J Street’s advocacy follows suit. Ben-Ami’s position could influence US policy debates on ceasefire terms, humanitarian access, arms sales, and adherence to international law – and, ultimately, the broader struggle for Palestinian rights.
