Monday, January 26, 2009

Gaza, Empathy, and the Holocaust

In the previous post I mention Robert Fisk's article about the mail he receives regarding Gaza. I focus on a letter from a professor who believes the Gaza war was about oil.

Yet Fisk mentions a number of other issues in the article. He reports about the email going around with photos of the WWII Holocaust as compared to Gaza. I received one of these emails too.

Fisk says that there is no way the two can be compared. I agree. Millions and millions compared to 1500+ is a big difference. But what we have to remember is that for the families and supports of the 1500+ it feels like a holocaust.

This does not mean I am against Israel. I am saying that there needs to be empathy for what people are feeling, even if what they say is not totally accurate. The Israeli's still feel the WWII Holocaust. Each Hamas rocket that lands on Israeli land is a prickly reminder of the past.

What we need to say and repeat over and over again, is that the sadness and despair created by these events does not warrant more violence. Israel and Hamas have to find a better way.

link to Fisk article

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