Israel and the Holocaust are Uniquely Jewish
December 16 , 2007
On December 13th, 1937, the Japanese invaded the Chinese capital of Nanking and, for two months, raped, tortured, and murdered hundreds of thousands of Chinese civilians. This past week, Brookdale Community College commemorated the 70th anniversary of the Rape of Nanking. According to Paul Zigo, a retired US Army colonel and assistant professor of history at Brookdale who directs the college's Center for World War II Studies and Conflict Resolution, “this is the start of the Holocaust in World War II.” Huh???
In the twentieth century, the Holocaust and establishment of Israel forever proved to the world that the Jewish people are, in fact, unique. But forever can be a very short time. Even before we had the opportunity to mourn our dead, historians, politicians, and other self-described scholars were quick to argue that the Holocaust and Israel were neither unique nor exclusively Jewish events. For example, the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education is promoting a new curriculum regarding Japanese atrocities during World War II.
At the same time, we’re told the Zionist settlers displaced the Palestinian people. Of course, these “scholars” never seem to notice that the concept of a “Palestinian” people is a historical fabrication. In the history of the world, there was never a Palestinian nation, language, culture, or even shared identity prior to Israel’s founding. Before 1948, the term “Palestinian” referred to the Jewish settlers in Palestine – just look at the passports issued by the British.
Jews don’t pretend to own the status of “victim” or be the only ones with national aspirations. But the Holocaust and founding of Israel are both unique and uniquely Jewish events.
The Germans were among the most advance people on the planet. The Jews in Germany were more assimilated and integrated into society than anywhere else. Yet, this is where the Holocaust began. The Germans used their technological prowess to commit genocide. The concentration camps, gas chambers, packed cattle cars, and documentation to prove their achievements were all unique. So was the eagerness of most German-occupied areas to participate in the mass exterminations.
Jews are also the only people to establish a modern state in their ancient homeland after nearly 2000 years of exile. And they did it despite being outnumbered, outgunned, and in hostile territory. When people try to prove that the Holocaust and Israel share much in common with other historical events, they’re really trying to argue that Jews are neither unique nor special. We beg to differ.
- editor
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