Guinness World Records Boycott Israel Submissions to Prioritize Safety and Integrity

Guinness World Records has suspended any submission of records by Israel, West Bank and Gaza citing the security concerns and difficulties in operations in the area. Recent applications are also influenced by this policy, with one of them being a humanitarian milestone application by the Israeli volunteer group Gift of Life, which wanted to get recognition to 2,000 kidney donors, who have saved countless lives.

According to a spokesperson of Guinness, the boycott is aimed at safeguarding the integrity and safety of the verification process in the regions where an ongoing conflict is occurring. Submission in collaboration with UN humanitarian agencies may be regarded as an exception, and the policy is periodically checked to determine whether normal functions can be reinstated.

The officials of Israel have been disappointed and stressed the need to appreciate humanitarian success. Nevertheless, scholars observe that the Guinness ruling was a neutral, safety first position and not a political anti-Israel position.

The company also highlighted that its purpose is still to glorify human success on the international stage, yet that the verification in the high-risk zones should be approached carefully to achieve accuracy and the safety of its staff.