Four days in, Israel continue to blast Gaza and the international community deplores it with some reservations. America in particular has made no effort to condemn the Israelis who are acting perhaps in coordination with the last days of the Bush presidency. Obama may not be so accomodating.
Let's be clear about this. I think Israel is using an excessive amount of force. As expected, Israeli embassies around the globe were inundated with protesters, not least London which became a target for the SWP, Respect and the loony lefties brigade. One placard made me see red, and I'm not talking about the kind of red that calls for 'full nationalisation *hand wiggle*' - T. Benn. No, this was something much more deplorable.
'Stop the Holocaust in Gaza'
Comparing the military assault on Gaza, no matter how bad it is, with the systematic mechanical slaughter of an entire race of people is one of the most reprehensible things I have ever read. Not only does it stick two fingers up to 6 million murdered people and their descendants and survivors, but it completely confuses what is going on in Gaza with what we mean by the term 'Holocaust'. Any academic will tell you that this means 'burnt sacrifice' and is a very specific term used to describe the decimation of the Jewish race in Europe between 1933 and 1945. I doubt that many Arabs in Gaza would like to know that their plight is being described with the same word. Furthermore, whilst it is wrong to make a 'comparison of pain' argument, I do not feel that we are not into the realms of genocide just yet. Israeli behaviour at the moment is abhorrent - just as it is to describe it as the start of a 'Holocaust'. There is only one event in history that can be described using this word.
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I agree with your comments about the signs, but unfortunately I fear that's always going to be the nature of protests.
It's a nasty truth, but the term 'Holocaust' is just much more emotive than the term 'genocide'. Which is sad, because in all honesty - and I mean this in the most respectful way I can type it, but can see it getting misinterpreted - after a certain point, I don't see a difference in genocide and Holocaust, except the names. If anything, I think it's worse that we as a collective seem to feel we have to come up with another term when the toll reaches a certain 'number'.
I know the term 'Holocaust' comes from the burnt offering application of the term and how that relates to the terrible way the Nazi German state treated the largely Jewish people it imprisoned, but reserving the term in history for that, and only that one instance of genocide, seems to be singling it out as exceptional, or 'more important, in a way I just can't grasp.
The thing about genocide that affects me is the methodical approach in trying to eliminate an entire ethnic group by those in charge, a sad, sad state of affairs that, unfortunately, has happened many other times in history and in a similarly destructive way (proportionally speaking). From my own point of view, the method of slaughter and, indeed, the numbers, are of lesser importance to me. 50 000, 200 000, 1 000 000, 6 000 000, I'll be honest in saying I can't summon more sympathy / feeling for any one more than the other, as I just can't comprehend it, and I very much doubt anyone _really_ can. Those sorts of numbers are on a scale that we, as humans, just don't deal with on a personal basis.
So, by all means use the term, but I think it's a bit hasty to say it can only ever be applied to one instance in history, as it runs a very real danger of belittling other forms of genocide and, in my opinion, it's all forms of it that are bad, and all forms of it that people need to be aware of and prevent from happening.
But, I'm rambling, and I apologise, and you're still right, those signs were moronic, but they'll continue to exist because of the way the term 'Holocaust' is generally applied being that much worse than 'normal' Genocide.
I understand your points Dave. I had the unprecedented nature of the Holocaust and the significance of the word itself rammed down my throat for almost two weeks when I was in Israel. It has appeared to give me a different perspective on things.
Yeh, I can understand that. Like I mentioned, I'm pretty sure my comments are more born out of a lack of knowledge / inability to get my head around beginning to comprehend such things, and probably would think differently if I'd been somewhere like yourself.
Still, all interesting points. :)
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