Wikipedia stops edits to “Gaza genocide” page; co-founder says “highly-contested”
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- Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales personally intervened to block edits on the "Gaza genocide" article
- Wales's demand for a revised lead that balances the genocide “claims” with opposing views has sparked backlash
Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales has personally intervened to block edits on the "Gaza genocide" article, citing severe violations of the platform's neutral point of view (NPOV) policy and demanding revisions to balance what he says are highly contested claims.
Critics argue this action risks whitewashing allegations of genocide in Gaza, potentially succumbing to pro-‘Israel’ pressures and undermining Wikipedia's role in documenting global events.
Wales posted a statement on the article's talk page on November 3, 2025, labeling the current version as "egregious" for presenting ‘Israel's’ actions as an undisputed genocide without attributing claims or including opposing views.
He proposed a revised lead: "Multiple governments, NGOs, and legal bodies have described or rejected the characterization of Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide," insisting NPOV is "non-negotiable."
The page remains under extended protection, restricting edits.
Backlash
The intervention has sparked backlash within the Wikipedia community and beyond.
Editors accused Wales of creating false balance by downplaying evidence from UN reports, human rights groups, and the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which have indicated plausible risks of genocide.
Editors voiced concerns that his top-down approach ignores community consensus and dilutes coverage of the ‘Israeli’ assault on Gaza, where casualties exceed 71,000 direct deaths and potentially 465,000 including indirect ones, per UN estimates.
This comes amid broader scrutiny of Wikipedia's handling of the ‘Israeli’-Palestinian conflict, including edit wars and allegations of external influences.
Wales denied any outside pressure.
