Guinness World Records has reversed a controversial decision and is once again accepting submissions from Israel, Israeli President Yitzchak Herzog announced. The move follows months of criticism after the organization refused to recognize Israeli entries, citing regional tensions.
Herzog made the announcement at a Jerusalem event hosted by Matnat Chaim, an Israeli nonprofit that facilitates voluntary kidney donations. The group is seeking recognition for what it says is a world record involving 2,000 Israeli kidney donors.
“I was happy to learn that the flawed decision to reject the submission to the Guinness Book of World Records, simply because it came from Israel, was reversed, and now it is officially a world record,” Herzog said at the event.
“This is absolutely a world record. A world record for humanity. A world record for solidarity,” he added.
The reversal comes after Guinness last year informed organizers of the event that it would no longer accept submissions from Israel or the Palestinian territories. The policy triggered backlash from Israeli officials and Jewish organizations, who accused the British-based organization of singling out Israel and effectively imposing a political boycott under the guise of neutrality.
Matnat Chaim said it has since been in direct contact with Guinness officials and has received assurances that the kidney donation event will now be recognized under Guinness’ standard rules.
“This is indeed a historic event for us, as an organization that is going to put Israel in the world records,” Yerach Tucker, a spokesman for Matnat Chaim, told JNS. “Moreover, it is not just an Israeli accomplishment but a human and medical achievement as well.”
Tucker said the group was told Monday that the event would be entered into the Guinness record system in accordance with the organization’s regulations.
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“The reversal comes after Guinness last year informed organizers of the event that it would no longer accept submissions from Israel or the Palestinian territories. The policy triggered backlash from Israeli officials and Jewish organizations, who accused the British-based organization of singling out Israel and effectively imposing a political boycott under the guise of neutrality.“
The reason the Palestinians aren’t upset is because they don’t have any records 😂