Pro-Israel Group Slammed for Justifying Gaza Genocide by Linking Reduced Obesity to Increased Life Expectancy Amid Israeli-Made Famine
London (Quds News Network)- A UK-based pro-Israel group has faced strong criticism for justifying the genocide in Gaza by suggesting that the reduction in obesity resulting from the ongoing assault could increase life expectancy. The remarks come amid warnings of an impending famine, as Israel continues to block the entry of humanitarian aid into the Palestinian enclave for over nine weeks.
The remarks were made by Jonathan Turner, the chief executive of UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI), in response to a motion due to be debated at the Co-operative Group’s annual general meeting calling for the retailer to stop selling Israeli produce.
Turner claimed that the motion refers to an estimated death toll of 186,000 in Gaza. In a letter to the Co-operative Group secretary, Turner wrote that it was “totally false and misleading” to cite the figure from a letter published by the Lancet last year.
He also alleged: “The [Lancet] letter also ignored factors that may increase average life expectancy in Gaza, bearing in mind that one of the biggest health issues in Gaza prior to the current war was obesity.”
The death toll since Israel began its assault on Gaza on October 7, 2023 stands at more than 52,000, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. A separate study in the Lancet found life expectancy in Gaza decreased by 34.9 years during the first 12 months of the war, about half (-46.3%) the prewar level of 75.5 years.
The comments by UKLFI were condemned as “sickening” by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC).
Ben Jamal, the director of the PSC, said: “As children in the Gaza Strip face the growing risk of starvation, illness and death, the suggestion by the head of UK Lawyers for Israel that they might benefit from weight loss is utterly sickening. These repulsive comments illustrate exactly what it means to be ‘for Israel’ and how low its apologists are prepared to sink in their attempts to justify genocide in Gaza.”
The letter suggests that the famine engineered by Israel in Gaza by blocking food and aid “may increase average life expectancy in Gaza, bearing in mind that one of the biggest health issues in Gaza prior to the current war was obesity.”https://t.co/JOoZ8KvGwa
— Palestine Solidarity Campaign (@PSCupdates) May 9, 2025
Chris Doyle, the director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding (Caabu), wrote on X that the comments represented “atrocious views”. He said: “How very kind of Israel to put 2.3 million Palestinians on an enforced diet to improve their obesity levels.”
Turner said: “We first pointed out that the letter published in the Lancet on 20 July 2024, to which the motion evidently referred, did not claim that 186,000 Gazans had died in the current war. It did, however, claim – without foundation – that 186,000 Gaza would be likely to die eventually as a result of the war.”
“So we pointed out, secondly, that this claim was based on entirely unfounded speculation, which also ignored factors that might result in lengthening the lives of Gazans, given the public health situation existing in Gaza prior to the war, including the extent of obesity. These factors include the possible reduction in the availability of confectionery and cigarettes.
“In the context in which they were made, our statements were accurate and objective.”
Since March 2, Israel has closed Gaza’s main crossings, halting the flow of food, medical aid, and other humanitarian supplies. This blockade has caused a severe and unprecedented decline in living conditions, with human rights organizations accusing Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war against Palestinians.
