Wikipedia Co-Founder Jimmy Wales Faces Disciplinary Hearing Amid "Gaza Genocide" Article Controversy

Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales is at the center of a significant dispute on the platform, facing a request for a disciplinary hearing over alleged "self-promotion" and guideline violations following his intervention on the "Gaza genocide article." The controversy escalated as fellow co-founder Larry Sanger unexpectedly joined the discussion, marking their first joint engagement on a major Wikipedia topic in 13 years. The article, which had its editing frozen due to neutrality concerns, has ignited "pandemonium" among editors, according to a report by NPOV Media.

Wales directly criticized the "Gaza genocide" article, calling it "particularly egregious" and a violation of Wikipedia's Neutral Point of View (WP:NPOV) policy. He stated that the article's opening sentence, which asserted Israel was committing genocide, was problematic because the claim is "highly contested" and should be attributed rather than presented as fact in Wikipedia's voice. His intervention led to the article being locked from further editing, with a notice indicating the lock was "not an endorsement of the current version."

The move by Wales drew sharp criticism from some editors, who accused him of being "patronising" and attempting to equate the opinions of impartial organizations with political ones. This sentiment intensified as editors requested a disciplinary action (ANI) against Wales, citing concerns that his involvement was motivated by self-promotion, particularly in light of recent book sales. A previous incident in 2024 saw similar accusations when Wales announced an NFT auction on his user talk page, prompting debates about Wikipedia's strict anti-self-promotion policies.

Adding another layer to the unfolding drama, Larry Sanger, who co-founded Wikipedia with Wales, entered the debate. Sanger's involvement comes weeks after he released his "Nine Theses on Wikipedia," a comprehensive critique of the platform's perceived shortcomings. These theses, published on September 29, 2025, elaborate on issues such as the degradation of neutrality policies, the blacklisting of certain sources, and the anonymity of Wikipedia's leadership. His proposals include ending "consensus" decision-making, enabling competing articles, and reviving the original neutrality policy.

The convergence of Wales's direct intervention, Sanger's re-engagement, and the disciplinary request highlights the ongoing challenges Wikipedia faces in maintaining neutrality and managing contentious topics. The situation reflects broader tensions within the platform regarding editorial control, policy enforcement, and the influence of its founders. As the "Gaza genocide" article remains locked, the community grapples with the implications of these high-profile interventions and the potential future direction of Wikipedia's governance and content policies.