The London Design Festival has removed references to genocide in advertising an exhibit by the Royal College of Art Palestine Society.

This follows a letter from UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) to the Director of the London Design Festival, pointing out that there is no genocide in Gaza, and there has been no legal judgment saying that there has been such a genocide or even that there is a plausible case that there is genocide in Gaza.

This was made clear by the former president of the International Court of Justice Judge Joan Donoghue, who was President of the ICJ when it made its original Provisional Measures Order (“the Order”) in the case brought by South Africa against Israel.

She explained the meaning of the Order on BBC’s Hardtalk programme, broadcast on 25 April 2024. She clarified that the court decided that the Palestinians had a plausible right to be protected from genocide and that South Africa had the right to present that claim in the court.  It did not decide that the claim of genocide was plausible.

Caroline Turner, Director of UKLFI commented: “It is extremely upsetting and offensive to members of the Jewish Community, Israelis, and other fair-minded people, for there to be a false accusation of genocide against Israelis bandied about freely.  It scratches deep wounds by invoking the painful collective memory of the Holocaust”.

UKLFI’s letter also explained that the references to a genocide in Gaza were an example of Holocaust Inversion, which is an attempt to portray Israelis as “the new Nazis” and the Gazans as “the new Jews”.  Holocaust inversion is potentially the most significant component in the incitement of racial hatred against Jews, because Nazism is considered to be the epitome of evil.

Caroline Turner added “We are pleased that the London Design Festival has reacted quickly and removed the references to genocide.  We were anxious not to curb freedom of expression so we are pleased that we have resolved this issue”.

Previously the exhibit was described as diving into “Palestine culture and heritage, highlighting its resilience amidst genocide and displacement”. Now it is resilience amidst “war and displacement”.

Previously the exhibit reflected on “the challenge and urgency of producing work within the context of the ongoing genocide.” Now it says “… the context of the ongoing conflict.”

Previously “the exhibition aimed to highlight Palestinian culture and heritage, bringing to light its endurance amidst the violence of displacement, colonialism and genocide.” Now it is just “… amidst the violence of displacement and colonialism.