This is part of Marc H. Ellis’s “Exile and the Prophetic” feature for Mondoweiss. To read the entire series visit the archive page.
As Netanyahu’s Holocaust revisionism continues to find its way around the world, Jewish memory is besmirched. That’s the consensus of the many Holocaust historians and political figures that continue to weigh in on Netanyahu’s misreading of Holocaust history. Buried in the outrage, though, is a deeper issue: Is Netanyahu’s use of the Holocaust to further incite his political constituency against Palestinians what we should focus on? Or is it the fact that many of those who condemn Netanyahu for his Holocaust blunder are also enablers of the destruction of Palestine?
The almost panicked desire to separate the real culprit of the Holocaust, Hitler, rather than an irrelevant side-kick, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, is telling. It is also too easy. Separating the two, while important, is a distraction from the real and ongoing culprit in the suffering of Palestinians – the correct, substantial, highly prestigious, well-funded, real history of the Holocaust.
Rather than the historical details of Holocaust history, how the Holocaust functions in relation to Palestine is the issue at hand. Netanyahu’s misreading of the Holocaust pales in significance to how the Holocaust is used to strengthen Israel at the cost of Palestinian life. The question is whether Netanyahu’s Holocaust distortion will bring the real history of the Holocaust back into Israel’s corner or whether his distortion spells the end of the use of the Holocaust in relation to Israel and Palestine. Has Netanyahu inadvertently weakened or even ended the use of the Holocaust as an enabler of Israel’s injustice toward Palestinians?
The Jewish Holocaust narrative supporting Israel in the world has been collapsing for decades. Instead of concentrating on the internal and highly political debate about the Holocaust, we should refocus our attention on Israel’s military occupation of Palestine, Israeli settlements in Jerusalem and the West Bank, Israeli and Egyptian control of Gaza and United States and European foreign policy in relation to Israel and Palestine.
After all, it isn’t the Holocaust that is displacing and murdering Palestinians today. It’s apartheid.
“The Jewish Holocaust narrative supporting Israel in the world has been collapsing for decades.”
The present changes the past, and without changing or reducing a single number. The past is as variable, more, than the future. Zionists better figure that out.
Guess what kind of people Temple Emanuel has invited to discuss BDS on election day Tuesday November 3 at 7:00 PM? What Jewish Philadelphia lawyer will argue that the efforts of BDS to get international law enforced is illegal?
David Harris, Executive Director of American Jewish Committee, will bring a global perspective on this strategy that continues to try to undermine the Jewish state across the globe.
Panel includes:
Eric Fingerhut, Executive Director of Hillel International
David Harris, American Jewish Committee Executive Director
Lauren Rogers, Activist/California College Student
Moderated by Rabbi Joshua M. Davidson.
Additional panelists to be announced.
Jewish BDS supporters owe it to themselves to show up.
for details:
http://emanuelskirballnyc.org/events/the-bds-movement/
ISRAEL’S OWN NUCLEAR ADVISORY PANEL ENDORSES IRAN DEAL:
Israel’s Nuclear Advisory Panel Endorses Iran Deal
Countering Netanyahu, government and most of opposition, nation’s Atomic Energy Commission maintains pact will prevent Tehran from developing nuclear bomb, source says.
read more: http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.681918
Is Booby a loser or what?
MARC ELLIS- “Instead of concentrating on the internal and highly political debate about the Holocaust, we should refocus our attention on Israel’s military occupation of Palestine, Israeli settlements in Jerusalem and the West Bank, Israeli and Egyptian control of Gaza and United States and European foreign policy in relation to Israel and Palestine.”
True enough, however, Netanyahu’s outrageous comments were meant to divert attention from this latest Israeli anti-Palestinian pogrom. And so far it seems to be working. Once again the media ignores the present and factual history to engage in speculation about the (former) Mufti and the Nazis. Most people haven’t got a clue, and the media is so biased that this will probably be an extremely effective tactic by Netanyahu. With an honest media, he couldn’t get away with this, however, under present circumstances he can hardly fail. This is what a person with power can get away with in our highly biased doctrinal system. By taking such an extreme (and deceitful) position, Netanyahu allows other Zionists to disagree concerning the Mufti and the Holocaust while simultaneously claiming extensive Arab collusion with the Nazis.
Over at Norman Finkelstein’s website, he and Mouin Rabbani due battle with former Israeli spokesman now Middle East Forum Director Gregg Roman. It turned into a shouting match with Roman lying repeatedly. But for those unfamiliar with the situation, they will take their cues from an Israel friendly media and the current anti-Palestinian pogrom will be sidetracked by what did the Mufti due and when did he do it, and to what degree are the Palestinians influenced by Nazi inspired anti-Semitism, and to what degree is this causing the current Palestinian incitement to violence against Jews? This is an extremely aggressive propaganda offensive by an Israel confident of its media power and its ability to frame the narrative.
misreading, ellis? you sound too unconfortably for me as if your apologizing for netanyahu.
he’s deliberately maliciously perverting the truth to not only wrongly condemn the mufti but all palestinians in one fell swoop.
WOW!
his lies are so disgusting now they”ve quite clearly entered the realm of sociopathy. in fact he’s probaly well crossed that barrier years ago. indeed, one jewish israeli minister whos name escapes me two years ago said he’s psychotic.
i strongly urge people to read “the last of the semites” by joseph massad(what a name) of columbia u.