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Originally Posted by Trumble  I agree with previous posters... hijacking the word 'holocaust' (I disagree with Woodrow that there has been any change in its generally understood meaning) will do what is otherwise a very worthwhile project no good at all. The same applies to use of language such as "testimonies of the survivors will also be published". Terrible as the conflict is there are far more 'survivors' than victims, which was most certainly not the case for those sent to the Nazi extermination camps.
To be honest I find the attempt to ape memorials of the holocaust blatantly political, rather pathetic and indeed insulting to the dead of both conflicts. 'Memorial' is both dignified, and sufficient. |
Spot on. It is blatantly political. It has two purposes. The first is to undercut historical post-WWII sympathy for the Jews after what can only be described as a holocaust. There was a thoroughly documented, industrial scale, effort by the Nazis to literally exterminate every Jew within that portion of Europe under their control. In some places (like Riga or in Poland) they essentially reached their goal. Then there is the symbolism of the cremation of hundreds of thousands or perhaps millions of the bodies of the murdered.
The second purpose is to gain sympathy for the Palestinian cause. That is why pictures of children are to be used in the memorial. I think it is a safe bet that ther won't be any martyrdom tapes on display....you know...with a caption underneath ..."Here is the martyrdom tape of Ibrahim which was made just before he blew up a bunch of grey-haired ladies on a bus..."
Similarly, it seems silly to talk about "survivors" of the occupation when 99.9 % of those who have lived under Israeli occupation are either still alive are died of natural causes.
That the occupation has been a terrible burden for those living through it is certain and there continue to be many injustices, but nobody in the West is going to fall for this analogy. It would be more effective to have a well produced documentary on the villages cut in half by the security wall and how Palestinains are treated at checkpoints or new Israel sttlements...etce, etc.
Of course, if you are just trying to get the locals riled up to continue the Intifada and keep money flowing from foreign agencies to corrupt Palestinian leaders....then this is exactly the right thing to do. It might be a good idea to make some children's cartoons where Jews are portrayed as evil to keep the young kids in line, too.