Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales personally intervened and blocked the site’s “Gaza genocide” page, saying that it violated Wikipedia’s neutrality policy and presented overt political propaganda.

Wikipedia—one of the world’s most influential platforms—found itself at the center of controversy after Wales stated that the article broke the site’s neutrality rules by presenting accusations against Israel as fact, without attribution or acknowledgment of controversy.

“As many of you will know, I have been leading an NPOV (neutral point of view) working group and studying the issue of neutrality in Wikipedia across many articles and topic areas, including ‘Zionism,’” he stated.

“While this article is a particularly egregious example, there is much more work to do. I assume good faith of everyone who has worked on this ‘Gaza genocide’ article. At present, the lead and the overall presentation state—in Wikipedia’s voice—that Israel is committing genocide, although that claim is highly contested.

Following his statement, the article was locked from editing until the disputes are resolved, and a formal notice of the temporary block was added to the top of the page. Despite the intervention, some remaining passages still contain harsh language against Israel, including phrases such as “the systematic destruction of the Palestinian people.”

JNS reporter Aaron Bandler, who has written many articles about Wikipedia editors’ anti-Israel bias, reported that the “Gaza genocide article” has been one of the most viewed sites on the internet since it was created last July.

Wales’s step triggered an uproar within the editing community. Some editors praised his decision as a courageous move to restore balance to Wikipedia, while others accused him of yielding to political pressure and disregarding the veteran editors who worked on the entry. A few also pointed to his ties with Israel, including visits to the country and his receipt of the Dan David Prize from Tel Aviv University in 2015.

This incident is the latest in the public’s criticism of Wikipedia, including U.S. politicians who say that the site has become a platform for spreading antisemitic propaganda. This past August, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform launched a sweeping investigation into alleged manipulation of Wikipedia, citing mounting evidence that coordinated groups—including hostile foreign actors and U.S.-based operatives—have used the world’s largest online encyclopedia to shape public opinion on politically sensitive issues.

The move also comes amid the launch of “Grokwipedia,” a competing platform created by Elon Musk that promises politically unbiased information.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)