‘When political leaders say they will exterminate a group of people, it is prudent to believe them’
National Holocaust Museum President says Israel must not allow its humanity to be eroded
In coming days Israel will likely invade Gaza, aiming to eradicate Hamas and defend itself from terrorism. It will be a challenging operation with a vast network of underground tunnels protected by human shields; both Israeli hostages and innocent Palestinians. As the situation evolves rapidly, the 7 October pogrom in which Hamas murdered over 1300 people must be called what it is: an act of terror, by terrorists.
What does it matter, so long as the BBC describes the atrocities (which it has)? It matters because when the BBC accepts that the British who died in the Manchester Arena in 2017 and Australians murdered in Bali in 2002 were victims of terrorism, yet imply that 260 Jewish festival-goers slaughtered in Israel were not, the corporation becomes complicit in the hideous view that Jewish youth, disabled, elderly and even Jewish babies could be legitimate targets of a military campaign by Hamas. That’s relevant because members of Fatah’s Central Committee have praised the action and indicated they will work with Hamas to replicate it in the West Bank.
When people accuse Israel of genocide in Gaza, media organisations do a disservice to peace not to inform them about the nature of Hamas, which advocates a policy of genocide against Israelis and Jews. Some protestors must know this already, as they chant in streets of London “From the River to the Sea,” meaning the land of Israel, between the River Jordan and the Mediterranean sea, will be emptied of Jews.
“How many people listened to what the Nazis were saying?” my late Holocaust survivor friend, Waldemar Ginsburg, used to ask. We have learned that
Revolutionary movements can begin in violence and migrate away from it. Not so Hamas, an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, founded in 1987 just before the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) verbally renounced violence in 1988. In the period leading up to the 1993 Olso Accords, Hamas established itself as a reaction to the secular PLO’s recognition of Israel’s right to exist. The First Intifada between 1988 and 1993 was not initiated by Hamas, but its co-founder Ahmed Yassin exploited the unrest and called for suicide bombings in Israel, a hallmark of a terrorist organisation. Killed in an Israeli strike, he is esteemed today as its spiritual founder.
Denying Israel’s right to exist causes Israelis to feel an existential threat; one reinforced by the speeches of Hamas’ ideological leaders. Earlier this year the 7 April sermon of the official Sheikh of Hamas, Hamad Al-Regeb, was posted on the YouTube channel of Gaza’s Al-Abra mosque, in which he called Jews filthy ugly animals, the brothers of pigs and apes, and praised martyrdom asking: “What could be more beautiful than ending your life by dying for the sake of Allah?” Then he prayed: “Oh Allah, bring annihilation upon the Jews. Paralyse them and destroy their entity (Israel). Oh Allah, enable us to get to the necks of the Jews.”
Matters had not been going Hamas’ way in recent years. Even with Iran’s support, it was unlikely to defeat Israel’s military or achieve its aims of genocide against the Jewish people. After a quarter century in which only two Arab states recognized Israel’s right to exist, change was in the air. Since 2020, three more states – the UAE, Morocco and Bahrain – developed diplomatic relations with Israel as part of the Abraham Accords. Others considering recognition included Sudan, once home to al-Qaeda. Most significantly, Saudi Arabia was in discussions with Israel, which must have caused consternation in Iran, a longstanding rival for regional dominance.
Arab nations forming relations with Israel are not selling out the Palestinians. On the contrary. They are committed to a safe and prosperous homeland for Palestinians. If a trend of growing ties continued between Israel and Arab nations, Israelis could begin to feel secure, while their new partners would bring considerable leverage to advance a two-state solution. Investment in a viable Palestinian state would herald a new era in which both Israelis and Palestinians could flourish. Until 7 October, some dared to hope such peace was a possible trajectory.
Israelis and Palestinians compromising and thriving as neighbours is anathema to Hamas and Iran because this would require acceptance that Israelis have a right to exist.
To my Israeli friends, excuse the impertinence of the following observations. I am not attending funerals of friends killed by terrorists and don’t have children running to shelters in the middle of the night. However, despite the wounds and anger, I beg to stand back and ask: What does Hamas want to gain from this horrific act of terrorism?
Hamas needs war with Israel. Needs its own people to die. Needs suffering Palestinian children to be seen daily. Needs anger across the world.
Hamas knows Palestinian civilians will die, and that when they do, the only winner will be Hamas and its ideology. It knows it will stop other Arab nations recognising Israel’s right to exist. It knows Iran will gain cover to coordinate Hezbollah to open a second front in the north of Israel and that Syria may join the war too.
After 9/11 the War on Terror, led by the US and the UK, gifted al-Qaeda a recruitment drive for terrorism, giving birth to ISIS. To avoid the same mistakes, the IDF must not be co-opted by Hamas to achieve its ends. Now it has revealed its true nature to the world, including its own people, even in this time of war Israel needs to make allies with Palestinians who reject terrorism.
A positive outcome is narrowly possible for both sides of the conflict but requires extraordinary leadership from Israelis and from Palestinians, who need to find it within themselves to see the humanity in each other. Leaders are needed who can imagine a new world of peace, beyond the trauma.
Nazi hunter Simon Wiesnthal’s motto was justice, not vengeance. The most powerful way to defeat Hamas is for the invasion of Gaza to be achieved while upholding international humanitarian law, with as much compassion for the Palestinian child as for the vengeance for the blood of Israel’s children. At the same time, a withdrawal arrangement and Marshal-type plan to rebuild Gaza should be planned and announced. This could be undertaken with cooperation of Arab States prepared to acknowledge Israel’s right to exist, with a promise to restore peace and prosperity for Palestinians once Hamas is gone.
In times of fear, if we allow our humanity to be eroded, the terrorists win. Hate never defeats hate but breeds more hate. The greatest legacy of Holocaust survivors like Waldemar is not that they survived to tell their story. It is that they defeated the aims of the Nazis when they preserved their own humanity.
James Smith is the President and co-founder of the National Holocaust Museum
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
