The Israeli voluntary kidney donation organization Matnat Chaim set a new world record for the largest gathering of organ donors in history, marking the achievement with an event on Monday night.
More than 1,000 kidney donors gathered in one photo.
This also marks the first Israeli record since the Guinness World Records resumed accepting submissions from Israel on January 15.
GWR told The Jerusalem Post on December 3 that it was no longer accepting submissions from Israel or the Palestinian territories, and that the policy had been in place since November 2023. This came to light when Matnat Chaim had attempted to coordinate with GWR about its record-breaking event, and had been told that GWR would not accept it.
With the submissions once again accepted, the event proceeded as planned.
Judy Singer of Matnat Chaim told the Post that the event was "unforgettable" and a "wonderful demonstration of solidarity and generosity in Israeli society."
"We are proud that Israel leads the world in altruistic kidney donation, and thrilled that Guinness has reconsidered its decision and is now prepared to accept our submission of this historic event as an official World Record."
“This is absolutely a world record. A world record for humanity. A world record for solidarity. And a world record for the deep and full commitment to one another, the selflessness, the deep love of life and of people, that is so beautifully embodied in our nation," said Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who attended the event.
“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.”
Although unconfirmed reports last week claimed that GWR has resumed accepting submissions from Israel, the Post did not receive a response to its inquiry.
However, on Tuesday, UK Lawyers for Israel shared with the Post its correspondence with GWR, in which the organization confirmed that it resumed routine acceptance of applications on January 15.
"In November 2023, we introduced a temporary pause on processing record applications from both Israel and the Palestinian Territories, or where either is given as the attempt location, except those conducted in cooperation with a UN humanitarian aid relief agency. This was a response to the outbreak and escalation of violence in the region," GWR's Global Head of Legal told UKFLI.
"Despite the pause, the following Guinness World Records were in fact awarded to Israelis who made their attempts in Israel between November 2023 and the present day: Fastest robot to solve a Rotating puzzle clock; Most backward somersault burpees in 30 seconds (male); Oldest person to perform a headstand (female); Most sequences completed in a game of Simon; Tallest drag performer."
GWR said it continued to monitor the situation in the region carefully, reviewing the policy monthly, and that, with the recent ceasefire and the return to a more stable environment, the decision was made to once again accept records from Israel and the Palestinian Territories, including the application made by the Matnat Chaim charity.
"Our doing so is not an admission that the suspension was unlawful or the use of our trade marks improper," it added. This was in response to UKFLI's claims that the exclusion unlawfully discriminated against Israelis and Palestinians under the Equality Act 2010.
Guinness rejected that claim. UKFLI then said that the exclusion constituted indirect discrimination and that continuing to market publications under the title Guinness World Records while omitting records set in Israel or the Palestinian Territories could constitute an unfair commercial practice under consumer protection law. It also warned that it could jeopardise the validity of Guinness’s registered trademarks.
Guinness: 'Suspension was lawful and temporary'
Guinness however maintains that the suspension had been lawful and temporary.
Jonathan Turner, chief executive of UKLFI commented: “Guinness World Records’ decision to resume accepting submissions from Israel and the Palestinian territories is welcome.
"Excluding particular countries carries serious legal and commercial risks. Global organisations cannot present themselves as neutral and inclusive while applying exceptional policies to certain countries, particularly where this misleads consumers and disadvantages entire populations.”