The bludgeoning of Israel with appropriated Jewish trauma is a textbook case of Holocaust envy, in which the singular destruction of European Jewry is softened, relativized, and rendered fungible.
Without culturally appropriating the Holocaust, the Palestinians have no claim to being “virtuous victims”, so pro-Palestinian propaganda, including that manufactured by ‘progressive’ Jews, has to erase Jewish suffering. Progressives are the most numerous and nauseating Holocaust deniers and distorters.
To quote Rob Henderson’a memoir “Troubled”: “a “virtuous victim” effect, in which victims are seen as more moral than nonvictims who have behaved in exactly the same way. People are inclined to positively evaluate those who have suffered. 20 Plainly, if people think you are a victim, they will be more likely to excuse your detestable behaviors. But ironically, the most well-off are also the most capable of accentuating their supposed marginalization.”
Palestinianism requires that pro-Palestinians take over victimization and the narrative of the Holocaust, even though their victimization is a direct result of them rejecting an independent state of their own and starting a genocidal war against an Israel full of Jewish refugees of antisemitism in Europe and the Arab world (pogroms and the actual Holocaust), then losing that war. Their only “catastrophe” is their perceived humiliation at failing to annihilate Jews of all people, a historically oppressed and weak people. That never sat well with their violent, Arab supremacist, machismo culture.
Excellent piece but…. The so-called Nakba is about 95% fiction. It was the ARAB armies that displaced their “beloved” brethren, NOT the Jews. The Arab residents were told to vacate to allow complete annihilation of the Jews; after it was all over the Arabs could then divvy up the plunder that the dead Jews had left behind. It did not work that way and the shame-culture Arabs had to somehow turn their humiliation into a weapon with their typical gift of taqqiyah. Clearly, the lies worked, far beyond their wildest dreams. We have fought war after war after war based on this lie.
British author Howard Jacobson contends that Europeans are angry at the Jews because the Jews, by surviving, remind Europeans of their role in carrying out the Holocaust. Modern Europeans would like to think of themselves as enlightened and morally upstanding, but the continued existence of Jews shows them that they can't relax into a sense of superiority. So, the theory goes, Europeans project their sins onto Israel, holding it to an exacting standard applied to no other country, and disproportionately blaming it for real or imagined misdeeds, hoping thereby to convey that the Jews are as bad or worse than Europeans have been. The more Europeans want to see themselves as moral, the more the memory of the Holocaust casts its shadow over them, hence the more they have to blame the Jews for everything. In a perverse sense, the Europeans are therefore blaming the Jews for the Holocaust. And that's where we get the outrageous claims of Israel deliberately killing children, Israel selling the organs of dead Palestinians, Israel being irredeemably racist, Israel committing apartheid, and now, worst of all, Israel committing genocide.
Outstanding essay and one that so correctly identifies envy for the reformulation of the Holocaust to suit one's narrative. You are correct, "it is obscene until the truth is acknowledged." Couple envy with hate and it's a perfect formula for violence and destruction. Envy has also been evident when Israelis left Gaza, and instead of utilizing what they built, Gazans destroyed all of it. Through hard work and determination, Israel's desert was turned into a thriving country, with innovations, a glorious metropolis in Tel Aviv, an incredible irrigation system, and more, all the envy of the Arabs (Palestinians), who spent their time tearing down, while Israelis spent their time building. The world envies Jews in a similar way because Jews have a disproportionate amount of education and success with respect to their numbers, the thinking is that the Jews control the world of communications, finance, you name it, it's ours. It was miraculously handed over to us, never mind, that Jews had to find a way to survive, since jobs and in some cases, education was not avalable to them. This was due to envy and hate. The Jews did not look upon themselves as victims, and instead seized whatever opportunities they could. Because the Jews never saw themselves as victims, this gave the antisemites another reason to envy them. The bottom line is envy and hatred have followed Jews for thousands of years, and their successful survival has left the antisemities bewildered and angered. They will continue to use this Holocaust envy, and their usual lies of revisionist history because they have nothing else. The Torah has told us that envy only leads to destruction and negative outcomes. In our world now, it couldn't be more evident. Thank you for an astute insight into the Holocaust envy obsession.
Yes. Extreme envy was shown at the Israelis forcibly removed from Gaza, for political expedience only, and the homes, greenhouses and beauty that the Israelis built then so gleefully destroyed. How dare anyone misappropriate the Warsaw ghetto truth to these Oct 7 murderers.
Of course, the fighters in the Warsaw ghetto uprising did not massacre, mow down, burn, rape and kidnap Polish civilians. Comparing October 7 to the Warsaw ghetto uprising is indeed obscene. Antisemites have no shame.
Amen. Great essay. They lie. Truth, however, is that Hamas must be destroyed, Gaza razed and Judah retake and live in peace on the coast. The enemy can continue to build lies elsewhere.
The anger and tone in this one (and recent writing) reflects a change to this very valuable, brilliant space. I get it, but I really came to rely on this space for smart, reasonable, fact-packed writing. I fear - and you can tell the comments lately (very one-sided) that you may be losing some of your “somewhat” diverse readership with pieces like this one. I get it. We are all angry and fear there is no end to the horror - Some more than others, and understandably, more so for those who live in Israel and live this every day. But pls keep some of the balance so we don’t lose the diversity here that has been meaningful and enriching for over 11/2 years. Thanks for listening.
This particular article - which is btw composed by a progressive gay activist, if “diversity” matters - is the very definition of “smart, reasonable, fact-packed writing”. Which of his insightful points do you factually disagree with?
“Feeling uncomfortable”, like everyday, is the new normal, so I agree- doesn’t count. See reply below re diversity- I should have been more clear. We are/have lost the PR war. What can be DONE about that???
Facts [to most of the media, to those who want us destroyed, to our fellow Jews who somehow think Israel was responsible for Oct 7 and sadly, defend apartheid, colonialism, genocide being ascribed to Israel/current situation] even the insightful points in this authors post- don’t seem to matter in the greater scheme- outside of discussions such as here. Personally, I’m switching to spending my time writing to Sen. Chris Van Hollen, speaking up at public events that are not safe spaces (I.e., smaller mtgs where Israel-related topics suddenly “appear”) to try to ensure dialogues happen in venues where facts those in this article can be raised/discussed respectfully. I often, and will continue to mention facts/perspectives I learned here, so I am grateful for that. For me (and as some Israeli colleagues told me months ago as I shared various writings), it’s time for less talk, more action. We will always still need writers. Work in progress.
Ah ok I apologize if I misunderstood. Personally I am thrilled when I come across progressive voices which are so solidly pro Israel, despite the cost, whose articles I can then forward to my progressive friends who are feeling lost and betrayed by their erstwhile “allies”. Obviously more productive than my lecturing “what did you expect”….
I hear you. Makes total sense. Thank you. Btw, I never comment any where else, and appreciate that I can do so here, and replies will point out my gaps, too.
Good Q - I was trying to keep it brief lol. Diverse reactions to and beliefs about Israel- Israeli politics, this war, the current “matzav”, right vs left. There’s a lot more anti- left writing (and I don’t consider myself a “leftie”, so to speak), and just a lot more “they/them” (Palestinians) all lumped together. And trust me, this is not meant to hube anyone a pass.
The writing in few months has had much angrier and polarizing tone, such that I find myself hearing more of tone rather than content, and thinking… this isn’t going to get us anywhere- more echo chamber content.
Anyway, there are more important things to debate. I just wanted to note my reaction - specific and general- and was curious if I’m the only feeling this way (and no longer reading through each writing daily as I used to), and maybe my reactions are not those of others (or others like me have stopped reading here). However, content of the comments have shifted also, so I’m thinking that there may be fewer readers lately who might feel the way I do. And that’s ok. I still think Josh is amazing, and come back to this space frequently but not daily like I used to.
Nakba - Definition: We accuse you of doing to us what we tried and still want to do to you.
" the moral justification for Jewish sovereignty" - Definition: Granting to Jews the same right to their historic, ancestral homeland on which they have maintained an over 3,00o year unbroken presence, that you grant to other indigenous peoples.
"In 1943, the Jews fought because they had no choice. Hamas is fighting today because they believe Israel should not exist and that Jews should be no more.
That simple difference is the hallmark of a war, not of a genocide. "
Oh, but there is an ongoing Genocide taking place in Gaza as we speak. According to the Genocide Convention, which states any attempt to eliminate an ethnicity, religion, race, or nationality is guilty of the crime of Genocide. Hamas' intent to annihilate Israel and exterminate Jews fulfills this definition. As the author so succinctly states, "[Jews] were murdered because of who they were, not because they were threatening to destroy another party."
Be it noted that "Palestinian" is not an ethnicity. Arab is their ethnicity. They are not a religion. Islam is the religion they follow. They are not a race. They are not differentiated from all other peoples by distinct facial, skeletal, and skin colouration. And they are not a nationality as they have never formed a nation.
"I’d wager this conflict would be closer to resolution if the Palestinians were treated like adults, not as people being herded into extermination camps, but as a people being asked to live next to Jews, rather than instead of them."
Implicit in this statement is the call for a so-called two state solution." So-called because creating a State of Palestine would in fact be creating a second "Palestinian" state. The one that already exists lies to the east of Israel. Its population is more than 60% "Palestinians." Moreover, the creation of a state whose charter calls for your elimination the the death of your populace is not politically, morally, ethically, or legally defensible.
first was inverting the Jewish victims of Germany's race obsession....why didn't the Jews fight? Why were they so passive? Forget the abandonment of the Jews by the civilized world. Japan was told to exterminate the Jews in Shanghai....it decided the Jews must be worth something so didn't. Trivializing the Holocaust. "to the Sixty Million" is the dedication by Toni Morrison to her BELOVED. Read the Armenian news in English...they HATE us too because of Azeri ties with Israel....and id with the Nakba and their genocide by the Turks. No id with Jews. Certainly not Israel....it persecutes the Armenian church in Jerusalem ...alleged. Now the cosplay children on campuses....or the red blood pins on the celebrities.....our ongoing tragedy.... why o why did we chose to go to "Arab.Muslim" Palestine which had been so for centuries and implant ourselves in their midst....we are always to blame for something....genocide, deicide, a host of "cides" that are the particular criminality..alleged of Israel....the nation state of the Jews.....why couldn't we accept the peaceful bliss with all communities living side by side in harmony in Arab Muslim Palestine. Why are Jewish and Israel studies departments now taken over by anti Zionist Jews and Israeli Jews who also bemoan settler colonialism and "weaponizing" the Holocaust....Jews should be studying Wakanda history and the Aztecs and of course the Palestinians who suffer more than the Jews ever did......alleged...and at the hand of "white Jews" .. you covered a lot.
Without culturally appropriating the Holocaust, the Palestinians have no claim to being “virtuous victims”, so pro-Palestinian propaganda, including that manufactured by ‘progressive’ Jews, has to erase Jewish suffering. Progressives are the most numerous and nauseating Holocaust deniers and distorters.
To quote Rob Henderson’a memoir “Troubled”: “a “virtuous victim” effect, in which victims are seen as more moral than nonvictims who have behaved in exactly the same way. People are inclined to positively evaluate those who have suffered. 20 Plainly, if people think you are a victim, they will be more likely to excuse your detestable behaviors. But ironically, the most well-off are also the most capable of accentuating their supposed marginalization.”
Palestinianism requires that pro-Palestinians take over victimization and the narrative of the Holocaust, even though their victimization is a direct result of them rejecting an independent state of their own and starting a genocidal war against an Israel full of Jewish refugees of antisemitism in Europe and the Arab world (pogroms and the actual Holocaust), then losing that war. Their only “catastrophe” is their perceived humiliation at failing to annihilate Jews of all people, a historically oppressed and weak people. That never sat well with their violent, Arab supremacist, machismo culture.
This is one of the best and most succinct indictments of Palestinianiasm I've seen.
Excellent piece but…. The so-called Nakba is about 95% fiction. It was the ARAB armies that displaced their “beloved” brethren, NOT the Jews. The Arab residents were told to vacate to allow complete annihilation of the Jews; after it was all over the Arabs could then divvy up the plunder that the dead Jews had left behind. It did not work that way and the shame-culture Arabs had to somehow turn their humiliation into a weapon with their typical gift of taqqiyah. Clearly, the lies worked, far beyond their wildest dreams. We have fought war after war after war based on this lie.
British author Howard Jacobson contends that Europeans are angry at the Jews because the Jews, by surviving, remind Europeans of their role in carrying out the Holocaust. Modern Europeans would like to think of themselves as enlightened and morally upstanding, but the continued existence of Jews shows them that they can't relax into a sense of superiority. So, the theory goes, Europeans project their sins onto Israel, holding it to an exacting standard applied to no other country, and disproportionately blaming it for real or imagined misdeeds, hoping thereby to convey that the Jews are as bad or worse than Europeans have been. The more Europeans want to see themselves as moral, the more the memory of the Holocaust casts its shadow over them, hence the more they have to blame the Jews for everything. In a perverse sense, the Europeans are therefore blaming the Jews for the Holocaust. And that's where we get the outrageous claims of Israel deliberately killing children, Israel selling the organs of dead Palestinians, Israel being irredeemably racist, Israel committing apartheid, and now, worst of all, Israel committing genocide.
They are so jealous of the focus on the Jews, they are just doing the same thing. They want to erase and replace us. They can never be us.
Maybe Larry David should read this.
Outstanding essay and one that so correctly identifies envy for the reformulation of the Holocaust to suit one's narrative. You are correct, "it is obscene until the truth is acknowledged." Couple envy with hate and it's a perfect formula for violence and destruction. Envy has also been evident when Israelis left Gaza, and instead of utilizing what they built, Gazans destroyed all of it. Through hard work and determination, Israel's desert was turned into a thriving country, with innovations, a glorious metropolis in Tel Aviv, an incredible irrigation system, and more, all the envy of the Arabs (Palestinians), who spent their time tearing down, while Israelis spent their time building. The world envies Jews in a similar way because Jews have a disproportionate amount of education and success with respect to their numbers, the thinking is that the Jews control the world of communications, finance, you name it, it's ours. It was miraculously handed over to us, never mind, that Jews had to find a way to survive, since jobs and in some cases, education was not avalable to them. This was due to envy and hate. The Jews did not look upon themselves as victims, and instead seized whatever opportunities they could. Because the Jews never saw themselves as victims, this gave the antisemites another reason to envy them. The bottom line is envy and hatred have followed Jews for thousands of years, and their successful survival has left the antisemities bewildered and angered. They will continue to use this Holocaust envy, and their usual lies of revisionist history because they have nothing else. The Torah has told us that envy only leads to destruction and negative outcomes. In our world now, it couldn't be more evident. Thank you for an astute insight into the Holocaust envy obsession.
Yes. Extreme envy was shown at the Israelis forcibly removed from Gaza, for political expedience only, and the homes, greenhouses and beauty that the Israelis built then so gleefully destroyed. How dare anyone misappropriate the Warsaw ghetto truth to these Oct 7 murderers.
Agreed.
Holocaust envy has been endemic to the left and especially supporters of Hamas
Of course, the fighters in the Warsaw ghetto uprising did not massacre, mow down, burn, rape and kidnap Polish civilians. Comparing October 7 to the Warsaw ghetto uprising is indeed obscene. Antisemites have no shame.
Only a deranged or delusional person can even think about comparing the two.
Amen. Great essay. They lie. Truth, however, is that Hamas must be destroyed, Gaza razed and Judah retake and live in peace on the coast. The enemy can continue to build lies elsewhere.
hear hear
Obscene evil and morally bankrupt. Jews give so much good to every society -even when faced with the oldest prejudist.
Please.Stop.
The anger and tone in this one (and recent writing) reflects a change to this very valuable, brilliant space. I get it, but I really came to rely on this space for smart, reasonable, fact-packed writing. I fear - and you can tell the comments lately (very one-sided) that you may be losing some of your “somewhat” diverse readership with pieces like this one. I get it. We are all angry and fear there is no end to the horror - Some more than others, and understandably, more so for those who live in Israel and live this every day. But pls keep some of the balance so we don’t lose the diversity here that has been meaningful and enriching for over 11/2 years. Thanks for listening.
This particular article - which is btw composed by a progressive gay activist, if “diversity” matters - is the very definition of “smart, reasonable, fact-packed writing”. Which of his insightful points do you factually disagree with?
Making you feel uncomfortable doesn’t count.
“Feeling uncomfortable”, like everyday, is the new normal, so I agree- doesn’t count. See reply below re diversity- I should have been more clear. We are/have lost the PR war. What can be DONE about that???
Facts [to most of the media, to those who want us destroyed, to our fellow Jews who somehow think Israel was responsible for Oct 7 and sadly, defend apartheid, colonialism, genocide being ascribed to Israel/current situation] even the insightful points in this authors post- don’t seem to matter in the greater scheme- outside of discussions such as here. Personally, I’m switching to spending my time writing to Sen. Chris Van Hollen, speaking up at public events that are not safe spaces (I.e., smaller mtgs where Israel-related topics suddenly “appear”) to try to ensure dialogues happen in venues where facts those in this article can be raised/discussed respectfully. I often, and will continue to mention facts/perspectives I learned here, so I am grateful for that. For me (and as some Israeli colleagues told me months ago as I shared various writings), it’s time for less talk, more action. We will always still need writers. Work in progress.
writing to Sen. Chris Van Hollen... may I ask: about what?
Ah ok I apologize if I misunderstood. Personally I am thrilled when I come across progressive voices which are so solidly pro Israel, despite the cost, whose articles I can then forward to my progressive friends who are feeling lost and betrayed by their erstwhile “allies”. Obviously more productive than my lecturing “what did you expect”….
I hear you. Makes total sense. Thank you. Btw, I never comment any where else, and appreciate that I can do so here, and replies will point out my gaps, too.
What diversity are you talking about?
Good Q - I was trying to keep it brief lol. Diverse reactions to and beliefs about Israel- Israeli politics, this war, the current “matzav”, right vs left. There’s a lot more anti- left writing (and I don’t consider myself a “leftie”, so to speak), and just a lot more “they/them” (Palestinians) all lumped together. And trust me, this is not meant to hube anyone a pass.
The writing in few months has had much angrier and polarizing tone, such that I find myself hearing more of tone rather than content, and thinking… this isn’t going to get us anywhere- more echo chamber content.
Anyway, there are more important things to debate. I just wanted to note my reaction - specific and general- and was curious if I’m the only feeling this way (and no longer reading through each writing daily as I used to), and maybe my reactions are not those of others (or others like me have stopped reading here). However, content of the comments have shifted also, so I’m thinking that there may be fewer readers lately who might feel the way I do. And that’s ok. I still think Josh is amazing, and come back to this space frequently but not daily like I used to.
Nakba - Definition: We accuse you of doing to us what we tried and still want to do to you.
" the moral justification for Jewish sovereignty" - Definition: Granting to Jews the same right to their historic, ancestral homeland on which they have maintained an over 3,00o year unbroken presence, that you grant to other indigenous peoples.
"In 1943, the Jews fought because they had no choice. Hamas is fighting today because they believe Israel should not exist and that Jews should be no more.
That simple difference is the hallmark of a war, not of a genocide. "
Oh, but there is an ongoing Genocide taking place in Gaza as we speak. According to the Genocide Convention, which states any attempt to eliminate an ethnicity, religion, race, or nationality is guilty of the crime of Genocide. Hamas' intent to annihilate Israel and exterminate Jews fulfills this definition. As the author so succinctly states, "[Jews] were murdered because of who they were, not because they were threatening to destroy another party."
Be it noted that "Palestinian" is not an ethnicity. Arab is their ethnicity. They are not a religion. Islam is the religion they follow. They are not a race. They are not differentiated from all other peoples by distinct facial, skeletal, and skin colouration. And they are not a nationality as they have never formed a nation.
"I’d wager this conflict would be closer to resolution if the Palestinians were treated like adults, not as people being herded into extermination camps, but as a people being asked to live next to Jews, rather than instead of them."
Implicit in this statement is the call for a so-called two state solution." So-called because creating a State of Palestine would in fact be creating a second "Palestinian" state. The one that already exists lies to the east of Israel. Its population is more than 60% "Palestinians." Moreover, the creation of a state whose charter calls for your elimination the the death of your populace is not politically, morally, ethically, or legally defensible.
Holocaust envy is a weird thing to appropriate, I mean who could even wish or claim to want to go through a holocaust experience? Such a strange idea
Do you identify more than one Holocaust throughout history? Any that don't involve Jews?
first was inverting the Jewish victims of Germany's race obsession....why didn't the Jews fight? Why were they so passive? Forget the abandonment of the Jews by the civilized world. Japan was told to exterminate the Jews in Shanghai....it decided the Jews must be worth something so didn't. Trivializing the Holocaust. "to the Sixty Million" is the dedication by Toni Morrison to her BELOVED. Read the Armenian news in English...they HATE us too because of Azeri ties with Israel....and id with the Nakba and their genocide by the Turks. No id with Jews. Certainly not Israel....it persecutes the Armenian church in Jerusalem ...alleged. Now the cosplay children on campuses....or the red blood pins on the celebrities.....our ongoing tragedy.... why o why did we chose to go to "Arab.Muslim" Palestine which had been so for centuries and implant ourselves in their midst....we are always to blame for something....genocide, deicide, a host of "cides" that are the particular criminality..alleged of Israel....the nation state of the Jews.....why couldn't we accept the peaceful bliss with all communities living side by side in harmony in Arab Muslim Palestine. Why are Jewish and Israel studies departments now taken over by anti Zionist Jews and Israeli Jews who also bemoan settler colonialism and "weaponizing" the Holocaust....Jews should be studying Wakanda history and the Aztecs and of course the Palestinians who suffer more than the Jews ever did......alleged...and at the hand of "white Jews" .. you covered a lot.