Alice Nderitu, a woman from Kenya, recently made headlines after being fired from her position as the United Nations' Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide. The reason for her dismissal? Nderitu refused to declare that Israel had committed genocide in its conflict with Hamas, a decision that ultimately led to her termination.
Nderitu's stance on the issue was clear: she did not believe that Israel's actions in Gaza met the definition of genocide. In a guidance paper released by her office in 2022, she emphasized the importance of using the term "genocide" correctly, pointing out its original meaning as conceived by Polish lawyer Raphael Lemkin in 1944. Nderitu highlighted the necessity of demonstrating intent when establishing a pattern of violence as genocide, a criteria she believed Israel's campaign of self-defense did not meet.
Despite Nderitu's principled stand, the anti-Israel factions at the U.N. were determined to smear Israel with the charge of genocide. The U.N. Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices issued a report accusing Israel of the possibility of genocide in Gaza and an apartheid system in the West Bank, echoing the sentiments of U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk.
Nderitu's dismissal raised questions about the integrity of the U.N. and its political motivations. While a U.N. spokesman cited the expiration of Nderitu's contract as the reason for her departure, the Wall Street Journal editorial board argued that her removal was ultimately a political choice. Despite losing her position, Nderitu's refusal to endorse what she viewed as a lie in service of a political agenda was seen as a profile in courage by many.