International Legal Forum launches online dictionary of 'hijacked' terms on Oct. 7 anniversary
The Israel-based International Legal Forum launched an online "Dictionary of Terms" on the third anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks. It says words such as "genocide" and "apartheid" have been detached from their legal meanings and used as political weapons since the Israel-Hamas war began.
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The story, neutrally told
Right · 2The International Legal Forum (ILF) launched an online "Dictionary of Terms" on Oct. 7, 2026, the third anniversary of the Hamas-led attack on Israel. The Jerusalem PostRC “On the third anniversary of October 7, the International Legal Forum launched its 'Dictionary of Terms,'” Read at The Jerusalem Post ↗ National PostRC “Its release falls on Oct. 7, the third anniversary of when Hamas terrorists murdered 1,200 people in Israel and took 251 hostage.” Read at National Post ↗ Right · 1The ILF describes the site as a resource aimed at reclaiming terms it argues have been hijacked and inverted by anti-Israel activists. It defines a hijacked term as a word with a precise meaning in law or history that has been stripped of that meaning and repurposed as a political weapon. The Jerusalem PostRC “ILF describes a hijacked term as a word with a precise meaning in law or history that has been stripped of that meaning and repurposed as a political weapon.” Read at The Jerusalem Post ↗ Right · 1The Jerusalem Post describes the ILF as an Israel-based network of 4,000 lawyers led by CEO Michal Cotler-Wunsh. It reports that the dictionary has nine terms so far, with six more in progress. The Jerusalem PostRC “The Israel-based ILF is a network of 4,000 lawyers led by CEO Michal Cotler-Wunsh.”“The dictionary so far has nine terms, with six more in progress.” Read at The Jerusalem Post ↗
Right · 2Each entry gives the definition under international law, background, examples, and a description of how the term has been weaponized and by whom. The National Post adds that it lists the countries against which each term has been weaponized, and that it names Canada as one against which "genocide" is weaponized. Users can also submit terms. The Jerusalem PostRC “Under each term, a user can find the definition under international law, the background, examples, and a description of how the term has been weaponized and by whom.” Read at The Jerusalem Post ↗ National PostRC “The dictionary lists Canada as a country that the term genocide is weaponized against.” Read at National Post ↗ Right · 2Cotler-Wunsh said that when terms such as "genocide," "apartheid," "war crimes" and "crimes against humanity" are detached from their legal definitions and repurposed as political weapons, the integrity of law itself is put at risk. National PostRC ““When terms such as ‘genocide,’ ‘apartheid,’ ‘war crimes,’ and ‘crimes against humanity,’ are detached from their legal definitions” Read at National Post ↗ The Jerusalem PostRC “the integrity of law itself risks collapse,” ILF said.” Read at The Jerusalem Post ↗ Right · 1Cotler-Wunsh told the National Post that genocide under the 1948 Genocide Convention requires intent to destroy a group, and called that intent "the legal distinction between genocide and other crimes." They said the attempt to "hijack" such terms is done to "demonize, delegitimize, and apply double standards" to Jews, and that Canada "continues to embolden genocidal terror and tyranny." National PostRC ““That ‘intent’ is not a technicality. It is the legal distinction between genocide and other crimes.””““Canada continues to embolden genocidal terror and tyranny,” said Cotler-Wunsh.” Read at National Post ↗
Right · 1The National Post notes that the UN accused Israel of genocide in a 2025 report and again in 2026, and that many experts and Jewish advocacy groups strongly denied the claim. It also quotes an Israeli statement that the report "relies entirely on Hamas falsehoods, laundered and repeated by others." National PostRC “In a 2025 report and again in 2026, the United Nations accused Israel of committing genocide.”“the report “relies entirely on Hamas falsehoods, laundered and repeated by others.”” Read at National Post ↗ Right · 1The launch comes with a social media campaign featuring international experts including Irwin Cotler, Gerald Steinberg and Natan Sharansky. Cotler-Wunsh told the Jerusalem Post the target audience is the general public rather than only lawyers, "all individuals across places and spaces." The Jerusalem PostRC “The list of experts includes Irwin Cotler, Gerald Steinberg, and Natan Sharansky.”““The target demographic is actually all individuals across places and spaces.”” Read at The Jerusalem Post ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
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Right2 outlets
- Framing
- Both outlets present the dictionary largely on the ILF's terms, as a response to the misuse of legal language against Israel since Oct. 7. They lead with Cotler-Wunsh's statements.
- Emphasis
- The National Post stresses the genocide definition, anti-Israel protests and campus encampments in Canada, and Canada's listing. The Jerusalem Post stresses the site's structure, the nine terms, the expert campaign and the aim to 'reclaim' terms.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Neither outlet quotes critics of the dictionary or anyone who defends the use of the contested terms. Neither gives the UN's reasoning for its genocide finding. The Jerusalem Post does not mention the UN reports.
- Charged language
- “hijacked”“weaponized”“existential warfront”“anti-Israel movement”“massacre”
- For example
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“Following the outbreak of the war, there has been an anti-Israel movement in the form of protests, antisemitic incidents and rallies to “honour martyrs” in Canada and across the world.” — National Post
“have exposed an additional existential warfront," said Cotler-Wunsh.” — The Jerusalem Post
What every side reports
- The ILF launched the online Dictionary of Terms on Oct. 7, 2026, the third anniversary of the Hamas attack.
- Michal Cotler-Wunsh is CEO of the ILF.
- The dictionary covers terms including 'genocide', 'apartheid', 'war crimes' and 'crimes against humanity'.
International Legal Forum organisation
The ILF says terms with precise legal meanings have been stripped of them and used as political weapons against Israel. It presents the dictionary as a way to restore their meanings for a broad public.
“aimed at reclaiming terms it argues have been hijacked and inverted by anti-Israel activists” — The Jerusalem Post
“the dictionary is intended to make vital legal principles and terms accessible to a broad audience.” — National Post
Left0 articles
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Centre0 articles
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Right2 articles
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Group releases dictionary of ‘highjacked’ terms misused since outbreak of Israel-Hamas war
Sympathetic Reports the launch mainly through Cotler-Wunsh's statements, with context on protests and the UN genocide accusation and Israel's rejection of it.
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ILF launches dictionary to reclaim 'hijacked' terms related to October 7, Israel-Hamas war
Sympathetic Describes the launch and the site's features, relaying the ILF's language of reclaiming terms and an 'existential warfront'.
- 7 Oct 12:00 First National PostRC Group releases dictionary of ‘highjacked’ terms misused since outbreak of Israel-Hamas war
- 7 Oct 17:46 +5h 45m The Jerusalem PostRC ILF launches dictionary to reclaim 'hijacked' terms related to October 7, Israel-Hamas war
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