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OPINION: CRISIS IN GAZA

Gaza is no Warsaw Ghetto

By Mark LeVine, Middle East historian

The Gaza-Warsaw comparison was inevitable, especially after the war started [GALLO/GETTY]

Within days of the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip, critics of the war, on blogs and in the mainstream media, began to compare the situation of Palestinians in Gaza to that of Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto during the Second World War.

In the last few years comparisons between the Israeli occupation and apartheid in South Africa had become increasingly acceptable around the world, including in Israel.

However, the carnage caused by Israel's latest war has apparently rendered the apartheid comparison too weak to evoke the full horror of what Palestinians have suffered.

Israelis have suffered as well, but the levels of death and destruction on each side is so mind-numbingly lopsided - at least 1,300 versus 13 dead - that simply juxtaposing them seems almost nonsensical.

The Gaza-Warsaw comparisons have not just been made, predictably, by Hamas leaders such as Mahmoud al-Zahar.

They have also been made by Arabs and Muslims around the world, by anti-war movements in Europe and the US, on the opinion pages of major US newspapers, by Richard Falk, the UN Human Rights Rapporteur, by Jewish members of the British parliament, and even by some American Jewish and Israeli critics of the war.

Images from Gaza have been juxtaposed next to images from the Warsaw Ghetto, with the aim of demonstrating the similarities between the two.

Evoking memories

It was inevitable that the Gaza-Warsaw comparison would be made, especially once the war started. It is so difficult to get the mainstream media in the West, and particularly in the US, to pay attention to the suffering of Palestinians, that many seem to have concluded that only the most powerful comparisons will get peoples' attention.

There are, indeed, disturbing similarities between the two situations.

Pictures of the Warsaw Ghetto have been shown next to those of Gaza [GALLO/GETTY]

The Warsaw Ghetto was composed of Jews forced out of their homes and herded into one small section of the city.

Gaza is composed largely of refugees and their descendents, most of whom were forced to flee their homes during the 1948 war.

Like the Ghetto, in the last decade the Gaza Strip has been surrounded by a barrier that has literally imprisoned 1.5 million in a territory that has become one of the most densely populated in the world.

Once the war started, Gazan civilians were trapped within a war zone, while Israel - crucially, with Egyptian help - had full command of the territory in and around Gaza. This situation prompted comparisons with the absolute Nazi control of the Ghetto and its surrounding area during the uprising.

Increasing restrictions on food, water and medical supplies by the Israeli military, and severe levels of malnutrition and unemployment "evoked" memories of the Nazi's slow strangulation of the Ghetto, as Richard Falk described it.

Even the tunnels of Gaza have been compared to those used by Jews to smuggle food and other essential goods into the Ghetto from the "Aryan side".

Psychological harm

These comparisons reflect an intolerable situation that is not just a humanitarian disaster, but has included the systematic commission of war crimes, and through them, crimes against humanity. The fact that the situation in Gaza has existed for decades has deepened the suffering, and the level of culpability.

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Indeed, the UN has reported that 50 per cent of Gaza's children have become so scarred by the occupation and siege that they have no will to live. An occupation that causes this level of psychological harm warrants not just the world's condemnation, but the prosecution of those responsible for administering this state of affairs.

But thank God, Gaza is not the Warsaw Ghetto. Even after the latest war, Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank remain rooted to the soil, not buried beneath it.

Hamas's Mahmoud al-Zahar has described Israel's attack on Gaza as "total war". This language is clearly intended to link Israel's actions in Gaza to genocide, and particularly Germany's total war against the Jews during the Second World War, in their effect if not their intention.

If such a comparison has merits, the Gaza-Warsaw comparison would similarly hold true, giving the accusations of a Palestinian Holocaust merit.

The February 29, 2008 warning by Matan Vilnai, Israel's deputy defence minister, that Palestinians risked "bringing an even bigger Shoah" (the Hebrew word for Holocaust) upon themselves if they did not stop firing Qassam rockets into Israel, reveals that Israeli officials are well aware of the magnitude of the suffering they have inflicted on the people of Gaza.

Defining genocide

Yet, however horrific the situation in Gaza, it does not meet the definition of genocide used by the main bodies that prosecute such crimes, such as the European Court of Human Rights, the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and the International Court of Justice.

All of these bodies define genocide as involving the intention to bring about the "physical-biological destruction" of a large enough share of an "entire human group" (national, ethnic, racial or religious) as to put the group's continued physical existence in jeopardy.

The Warsaw Ghetto was used by the Nazis to confine Jews into the smallest possible space, eventually in preparation for their ultimate extermination - which became official Nazi policy within a year of the ghetto's creation.

Out of an initial population of over 400,000 Jews, 100,000 had died of disease and starvation by the time the uprising began in 1943. To be comparable, by 2007 over 300,000 Gazans would have to have died from similar causes.

Ultimately, more than 300,000 Jews were shipped to the Treblinka extermination camp and murdered. At most, only about 200 Jews survived the uprising.

Ninety-eight per cent of Warsaw's Jews perished. More broadly, about 63 per cent of Europe's pre-war Jewish population were killed during the Holocaust.

The roughly 6,500 Gazans killed by Israel since it unilaterally withdrew its soldiers and settlers in 2005 equals 0.4 per cent of the population of the Strip.

In comparison, upwards of 75 per cent of Rwanda's Tutsi population, about 800,000 people, were murdered during the 100 days of genocide in 1994. Over 200,000 Bosnian Muslims (10 per cent of the pre-war Muslim population) were killed by Serbs between 1993 and 1995.

The Gazan death toll would have to be more than 20 times greater to approach Bosnia, 175 times more to approach Rwanda.

Historical context

Pointing out that the suffering endured by Gazans is not comparable in scope to the Holocaust or other well-known genocides, does not diminish it. However, it is crucial to provide accurate historical context to the current conflict, for two reasons.

If Gaza is today's Warsaw, then Palestinians have no hope [GALLO/GETTY]

Firstly, the use of highly charged historical comparisons that do not hold up to scrutiny unnecessarily weakens the Palestinian case against the occupation.

In a propaganda war in which Palestinians have always struggled to compete, handing Israel's supporters the gift of inaccurate or exaggerated comparisons does not help this struggle, particularly not in Israel and the US, the two most important battlegrounds in this conflict.

To cite just one example, Israel and its supporters still use the exaggerated casualty figures of the early days of the 2002 siege of Jenin - hundreds were claimed to have been massacred, "only" 56 people were ultimately found to have died - to support their argument that Palestinians "lie" about the human toll of Israeli attacks.

When the argument is shifted from the basic illegality and intolerability of the occupation to an argument over numbers in which Palestinians seem to overstate their case, Israel has created more room to continue the occupation.

Egyptian complicity

It also has to be recognised that the sealing of Gaza has occurred with the complicity of Egypt. While Israel remains the de jure occupying power of the Gaza Strip, the Gaza-Egypt border has remained closed or open depending on the wishes of the Egyptian government - something Israeli officials regularly point out, and millions of protesters against Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian president, across the Arab world affirm.

Egypt allowed the crossing to remain open for several days when Hamas blew up part of the wall in January 2008. It has since kept it largely sealed despite the dire humanitarian situation, putting its relationship with Israel - and more importantly, with the US - ahead of the welfare of Gaza's 1.5 million residents.

Indeed, the collusion of Israel's neighbour, Egypt, and its biggest patron, the US, in ghettoizing Gaza creates a triangular network of responsibility that has no parallel with the Nazi control over Warsaw, and Poland more broadly.

The second and more important reason for developing a more accurate historical model for Gaza is that comparing Gaza and the Warsaw Ghetto diminishes Palestinian agency.

If Gaza is today's Warsaw, then Palestinians have no hope. There is no solution, no new strategies worth considering besides nihilistic violence that invites a far more deadly response.

Such a view, which has long characterised Hamas's worldview, limits if not closes the horizons of political action by Palestinians, making it harder to come up with more creative strategies to resist and even transcend the occupation.

Ultimately, it creates a self-fulfilling prophecy, as the inertia of hopeless violence produces ever more intense responses.

Politicide, not genocide

After visiting Gaza in 2003, Oona King, a Jewish British politician, compared Gaza and Warsaw, explaining that they are "the same in nature but not extent".

However, it is impossible to separate the extent of Nazi policies in and surrounding the Warsaw Ghetto from the nature of the ghetto, since each determined and reinforced the other.

The Warsaw Ghetto was essentially a holding pen for livestock headed for slaughter.
The Gaza ghetto is a "concentration camp" - as Cardinal Renato Martino, the Vatican's justice and peace minister, termed it - intended to force Palestinians to accept a rump state with a few trappings of sovereignty, bisected by huge Jewish settlement blocs, severed from East Jerusalem, and without hope for returning anything but a miniscule percentage of refugees to their homeland.

This intolerable situation was labelled by the late Israeli sociologist Baruch Kimmerling as politicide. Its goal is clearly to make the creation of a viable Palestinian state all but impossible to achieve.

But Gaza in 2009 is not Warsaw in 1943. It is worth remembering that the Jewish uprising did little if anything to stop the Holocaust.

The Gaza ghetto has its own historical roots and therefore the possibility of a different trajectory and, hopefully, a more positive denouement than did Warsaw.

Only with a clear and objective understanding of the roots, nature and purpose of the Gaza ghetto, and of the ongoing occupation of the West Bank and Gaza more broadly, can a different and more positive ending to the Palestinian - and Israeli - narratives be written.

Mark LeVine is a professor of Middle East history at the University of California, Irvine, and is the author of Heavy Metal Islam: Rock, Resistance, and the Struggle for the Soul of Islam and the soon to be published An Impossible Peace: Israel/Palestine Since 1989.

The views expressed by the author are not necessarily those of Al Jazeera.

Source:

Al Jazeera

Topics in this article
People Nazi	Country Israel United States	City Gaza Warsaw	Organisation Hamas

Feedback

Number of comments : 147

Derrick Austria		04/02/2009



It is entertaining to see western commentators here who join the new fad of sympathy for the Palestinians. Iraq's Shocking Human Toll: About 1 Million Killed, 4.5 Million Displaced, 1-2 Million Widows, 5 mllion orphans. Question: where were you during the Iraq war? where were you during Abughreeb and the raping of 16yearold girl Abeer by Nazi US soldiers.

T.D.Foster Great Britain (UK)		01/02/2009

Gaza und Warschau

From Mr.Levine's name I assume that he is a Jew and this is his reason for attmepting to draw a comparison between the events in Gaza-now,and those in Warschau nearly 70 years ago.I note the not-so-subtle mention,yet again,how tiresome it really is,of the "holocaust",which is irrelevant to this matter. What has Palestine 2009 to do with Warschau 1943?The shoe is on the other foot and it kicks just as hard as a german one.

pat United States		01/02/2009

Gaza is no Warsaw Ghetto

Thank you for bringing much needed perspective. You are, of course, totally correct. Its like when a young German woman I was talking to in Berlin recently compared Guantanamo to Auschwitz. Nice try, but it just doesn't wash. No one group should be let off the hook for their role in creating the problem by making bogus historical comparisons in an attempt to portray some moral moral equivalency. Historians should be the first to come forth and uncover such deceit.

Colm Gillis Ireland		01/02/2009

One omission from article

There is a major difference between the Nazis and the Zionists in that the Germans had a huge population in comparison with European Jews. The Zionists are on a par (population wise) with the Palestinians and would be wary of commiting an all out genocide so as to kindle real arab resistance, especially considering the surrounding arab countries. As for the Palestinians being afraid of American-Jewish accusations of lying, didn't I hear Israel saying it used phosphorous for military purposes?

Sara United States		01/02/2009

Gaza is no Warsaw Ghetto

Once again an article stating that only the Jewish people and Israel have the right to use terms like "ghetto", "holocaust", and "concentration camp". I really enjoy this website and the live news stream, but aljazeera even though you do report showing "the other side" you are either afraid or willing to sell out to the US because there have been too many times where your network has not been critical enough.

Yezin Canada		01/02/2009

Refreshing article

Hey Mark, I just read your article and I found it very insightful. As a Palestinian, I know the pressures on us to meet up to the challenge the Jewish and Israeli organizations put before us in grabbing media attention and getting their slanted stories to North Americans. Yes the situation in Gaza is not genocide, but in the blink of an eye, it can be. Sometimes accusations and comparisons are made to get the blood pumping, its good to have a clear voice commenting. Thank you for that.

James Noone United States		01/02/2009

Gaza Warsaw Comparison

It's sad that the author of this article is allowed to teach at Cal. Certainly the history of the Gazans is that of being on the wrong end of Israeli military might. Regardless of what side you are on, the latest clash would not have been if Hamas' rockets had not invited it. The Jews of Warsaw were targets of Nazi extermination. Genocide has never been a goal of Israel. It seems more a goal of Muslim extremists, like Hamas. The article is revisionistic garbage.

Lynn Jeffress Palestinian Territory		01/02/2009

Mark LeVine on Gaza

Shame on you, Mark! Anyway you try to cut it, this is genocide by the Israelis. You should be trying to get the genocide stopped, not apologizing for it!

Christopher Rushlau United States		01/02/2009

Curious shortsightedness?

The metaphor police have been here, leaving this note: "Its goal is clearly to make the creation of a viable Palestinian state all but impossible to achieve." Since Israel's whole purpose is to eliminate Palestinians from history, "genocide" is apt.

Brigitte United States		02/02/2009

Gaza is no Warsaw Ghetto

It is true what you say about the exaggerate comparisons, that they threaten to suffocate the present and the future with the past. Nevertheless, you admit that Gaza is a ghetto. Should there really be ghettos allowed under the international standard of human rights? The Qassams are deplorable and useless. What goes forgotten, is that Israel does not abide by the truce agreements: to open the border crossings. The sealed border needs to be condemned, loudly and urgently.

Robert Finnegan Timor-Leste		02/02/2009

Gaza is no Warsaw Ghetto

Hi, I found the article interesting, although something of an apology for the Zionists. I think nothing in history compares completely with what has been happening in Palestine for the last 100 yrs. There is some analogy in US treatment of its indigenous peoples. First, they were driven from their lands. Then 'reduced' over time. The Zionist aim is not necessarily genocide of Palestinians, it is the stealing of their land. They would be happy to have them leave the region forever, for instance

Howard United States		02/02/2009

Gaza is no Warsaw Ghetto

The discussion gets curioser and curioser. Projecting a terrorist-run Gaza as victim is absurd on its face. It isn't enough that Iran's current president, among his other inanities, calls the holocaust a myth. Other Islamic fundamentalists like Hamas spew hatred and insults at Jews. They worship at the Nazi shrine. The Warsaw ghetto started by rounding up Jews, with starvation and forced labor, ending with murder. Gaza was left free to build a modern society, but Hamas prefers war to peace.

Kenneth Griffiths Palestinian Territory		02/02/2009

Nazis versus Israelis.

The only difference between the Israelis and the Nazis is that the Israelis don’t have the courage of their convictions to implement “the Final Solution of the Palestinian Problem”. With their much vaunted technology, the Israelis could construct an industrial complex in the Negev which could sonderbehandeln 20,000 stücke per day, and reduce them not just to ashes but to molecules. With 4 million Palestinians to deal with, the Israelis could be living in their perfect world in 200 days.

E Collins United Kingdom		02/02/2009

The numbers between the Warsaw Ghetto and the Gaza Ghetto may not match, but it is not for lack of trying by Israel.

If UN aid and efficient tunnelling did not exist, then the numbers of dead Palestinians would have been in the hundreds of thousands, and no one would have batted an eyelid. Just look at Iraq in the embargo of the 90s (half a million dead babies was a "price worth paying" according to the US). The people of Gaza are the survivers of the initial extermination of Palestine. Exterminating the survivors cannot be done military in today's media-rich world. A slow starvation avoids the media lenses.

B Haiti		02/02/2009

Gaza is no Warsaw Ghetto

What are we waiting for? Do we really have to wait for Gaza Strip to become another Sabrah or Shatilla before the world realises what is happening...?

sam i am Palestinian Territory		02/02/2009

there was a holocaust?

you said the magic words levine... european jews... they should all go back to europe.. your revisionist history is just that, your interpretation of what you have been fed thru jewish eyes. you say the palestinians are suffering, but not enough to warrant any comparison to the jews, who only suffered for a couple of years. well there should be a new term for what the zionist are doing and you can have you holohoast.

Ray Magee United States		02/02/2009

Gaza

Chris there has never been a nation of Palestine throughout recorded history and if jews are forced out of Israel there still won't be. The Arabs now on Israel territory will be swallowed up the the neighboring states of Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Egypt. They'll still be a homeless people.

David United States		02/02/2009

Our time!

considering the time of Nazis crimes, Zions crimes and the similarity in methods of Violence against Human being,considering that Jews were the victims and now Zions(Jew wanna beez)are the criminals and doing what they have learned from Nazis to human being ,considering that Jews must be the first people to hate Nazis ways of killing,One can consider Israel army the Nazis of our time and Zionists's government are doing worse than Nazis back in old days.

Josh United States		02/02/2009

Gaza is no Warsaw Ghetto

Its about time there is some perspective. genocide is the systematic and deliberate extermination of a racial group. Israel is not marching in to Gaza and just mowing everybody down in sight. In fact, Gaza's population is growing, not winding up in mass graves, While the death of 1300 is unconscionable, it is less then .1 of 1% of a population. Rather it is Hamas who openly calls for the extermination of all jews

doug Ireland		02/02/2009

Gaza is no Warsaw Ghetto

Mark's right. Israel inflicts horrible attacks on Gazans (through military attacks and the seige supported by Egypt) as well as destruction of sewage facilities and agricultural crops, but these attacks have not resulted in genocidal levels of death with 10% to 98% dead. The seige has put Gazans at risk of such casualty levels if there is a total closure, but Israel is unlikely to do so - or be allowed to. We can criticize Israeli actions without using invalid analogies. They hurt our cause

Pronsaios MacConraoi Palestinian Territory		02/02/2009

Mark leVine

When there is no other defense it is always brought back to "Antisemitism" if any criticism of The actions of the IDF are levelled.

Sava Zxivanovich United Kingdom		02/02/2009

Wrong Facts

In Velika Kladusa Bosniak forces led by Mr Alija Izetbegovic supporting separation of Bosnia from Federal State of Yugoslavia defeated forces that were Serbian ally led by Mr Fikret Abdic and forced all Bosniks, inhabitants of Velika Kladusa to fled. I believe that there the facts should be represented truthfully and that Aljazeera should avoid traps of media war led by Western media against Serbs and Serbia.

Shaun Bruce United States		02/02/2009

Gaza as a ghetto

No, genocide is not the goal of Israel. I like to call it cultural cleansing. This is the very doctrine of Zionism. Holocaust is the extermination of a mass number of people. Just because they are doing it slowly, does not make it nonexistent. James Noone- Israel's blockade begged for Hamas' rockets. Cut off my food and water and I guarantee a rocket through your roof. I'm sure you would act the same way if your life was threatened.

Drederik Tatum Argentina		02/02/2009

Take out the errorists

The folly of Israels ways has created a global climate which poses a danger to the entire western world. Regardless of the direct effect on the Palestinian people through their occupation, the global consequences of their actions requite swift sanctions.

Richard Afghanistan		02/02/2009

Hilarious Hypocrisy

This author has written very anti-Israel articles on Al Jazeera. When he criticizes Israel he is applauded, and for this article he is derided as a biased Jew. Americans ignore your opinions not because of our media, but because you make fools of yourselves. Reading AL Jazeera instead does nothing to change our minds.

cindylou United States		02/02/2009

Warsaw Ghetto vs. Gaza

How funny. Listening and reading all the Muslims on here I can see that they are without any education with regards to what the Warsaw Ghetto was about. Most of them were taken to camps, not given a chance to vote in a peaceful and fair government.

Alon Israel		02/02/2009

Gaza is no Warsaw Ghetto

As a reserve officer in the an elite infanrty unit and a grandson of a holocust survival, I could state the following (with my heart pure) : Any one how compare the acts of the IDF or the israelis, to Germany in WWII is someone so disturb or naive that I feel great sorrow for he soul. Compare my actions as a soldier or and of my commrads to every army in the world - USA, England in Ireland, Iraq and Iran, just name your country and I sure we allways acted more fairly and just then everybody else

Victor United States		02/02/2009

No comparison.

The Palestinian situation in Gaza does not compare to the other incidents in history. They are all unique to the times, situation and country where those atrocities were committed. The Gaza situation can be resolved without any bloodshed if both sides are willing to give concessions to the other. Killing is no longer the answer at this time. The death of innocents or combatants will only add fuel to the flames of hatred.

Mike Canada		02/02/2009

Gaza is more than Warsow Ghetto

People living in Gaza are victims of unhuman actions by the israely army. Gaza is A LOT MORE than Warsow Ghetto.

steve dill United States		02/02/2009

Gaza vs. Club Med

So how many rockets did the residents of the Warsaw ghetto send flying into German residential areas? Were they also the recipients of the largest aid per capita from the rest of the world? The situation in Gaza is horrific, but as far as I am concerned it is still far better than those people deserve. They had a chance to choose their leaders and like everywhere else, democracy or not, are responsible for their leaders actions. Whoever wrongly blames Israel for their misery is the reason for it

Yahya Merchant United States		03/02/2009

One State Solution

Mr Wisecarver, Two problems with the one state solution. Arabs outnumber Jews and Israel would cease to exist or arabs would have to become second class citizens like africans were in South Africa. Neither option is likely to work.

Chopin Malaysia		03/02/2009

Gaza Ghetto

You're right Mr. LeVine, Gaza is no Warsaw Ghetto, but most likely a no man's desert prison where unwanted people are dumped, the target shooting practice of Zionists, people deserve no respect. Is that what you mean? People being denied even their basic necessities by both Zionist Israel and the begger of Middle East-the Egypt. If Zionist has no respect for other human then they are animals.

MARK KLEIN, M.D. United States		03/02/2009

Nectar works better vinegar

The Palestinians should put down their weapons and accept a truncated state as the Jews did in 1947 with Partition. The boundaries of new Palestinian state would mean nothing with a secure peace. With secure Israel an EU style ME economic zone would quickly form which in time would allow the peoples of region, like in the EU, to live where ever they wished. The Palestinians have everything to lose and nothing to win in an armed struggle with Israel.

Agnes United States		03/02/2009

the biggest difference

While I agree that the Israeli treatment of the Palestinians is truly horrendous, please keep this fact in mind: The Hamas leaders have declared their intent to be the total destruction of Israel and the Jews. In Warsaw, the Jews were simply minding their own business living in Poland. They had not formed a militia to try and annihilate the Germans. They were not suicide bombing the Germans or Poles. Can the Palestinians say this?

Mark United States		03/02/2009

Thanks for this

Good piece, Mr. LeVine. The situation in Gaza and the recent bombings are horrific and Israel's actions are heavy-handed and concerned too little with Palestinian lives, but the comparisons to the Holocaust and the accusations of genocide push it too far. The sensationalism on both sides seeks only to polarize the factions further when, in order to form a lasting peace and equity, they must come together.

Veritas Afghanistan		03/02/2009

Comparisons

Another article claiming that Jewish suffering is more important than anyone else's, how truly disgusting this sort of thing is. Palestinians are suffering physical and psychological torments, the children are psychologically half dead, but still we must hear that this is nothing compared to the suffering of the Jews. My sympathy is all with the Palestinians, their foe is terrible in the truest sense of the word.

Fred Canada		03/02/2009

How could anyone like the Israelis now?

The concept of a holocaust is pretty well dead now. Whatever took place, took place 60 years ago. According to Israel and all the people who favour a single-state solution, 60-year-old events are irrelevant. If we look to today and the future instead, we could make a pretty good case that Israel is the most vicious of all nations, and definitely the most bullying. I myself would not want to be friends with people that vicious and that stupidly irresponsible. I would be as desperate as Hamas.

Amvet Germany		03/02/2009

Gaza

Gaza is not Warsaw. Big deal. Gaza is a concentration camp controlled by Israel. Israel has committed war crimes and should be punished. Instead we get damage control articles.

jEREMY WOOLF United Kingdom		03/02/2009

Crisis in Gaza

If Israel was seeking to commit genocide in gaza it is difficult to explain the huge increase in Gaza's population since 1967. I am amused by those who object to Israel's existance but do not object to Pakistan created as a Muslim state, that caused far more refugees. A lot of Israel's population is in fact made of Jews who left (in some cases were expelled from) Arab lands. Indeed no Jews were allowed in the areas of Palestine occupied by the Arabs in 1948, unlike Israel which is 20% arab

real vision United States		03/02/2009

no open borders for hamas

The first day of open borders for hamas would bring greater amounts of weapons into gaza which would result eventually a great destruction of gaza. Iran would supply the weapons, hamas would fire them into israel and the israeli response would be even greater destruction and more death of the palestinian people. Hamas is not interested in building hospitals, schools, businesses, a future for the gazans. Their only purpose is to destroy israel and kill all the jews. Limit border opening

Rasmuncher Afghanistan		03/02/2009

Does it need to become that bad

I find it interesting that those that refer back to the holocaust lose sight of its significance. The Jewish motto is "never again". Well it is again. Does it have to reach the same proportion of slaying innocents for it to be considered an atrocity? No one took notice at the start of the holocaust. The difference between it and now in Gaza is that people do take notice and refuse to allow it to reach that scale.

Seán Ireland		03/02/2009

Gaza is no Warsaw Ghetto

Agnes, United States: The Palestinians were minding their own business when the British gave their country away resulting in a massive influx of foreigners who used terrorism to drive them off their land into refugee camps. I know American media are not the best explainers in the world but please be aware that this is how it started. Everything since has been by way of retaliation akin to the futile resistance of the Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto.

steve dill United States		03/02/2009

two state solution

Jordan is Palestine and Palestine is Jordan. Nobody wants Gaza cause those people have been pumped full of anger and hate. Their leaders have deliberately brought on this misery to incite anti Israel hatred from people like most of those who post here. Did the Nazis phone homes before bombing them so that people had a chance to leave? You people who compare Israel to Nazis are absolutely disgusting!

Bret Thiele United States		03/02/2009

Definition of Genocide

The author doesn't use the proper definition of genocide, as defined in the Genocide Convention and in the Rome Statute creating the International Criminal Court. Properly defined, it's my opinion as an international human rights lawyer that genocide does indeed apply (not that genocide does not have to do with the numbers killed). Please see Article 2 of the Genocide Convention.

Allan United States		03/02/2009

Irony vs. accuracy

Comparing Gaza to the Warsaw Ghetto may be inaccurate, but the fact that it has been made points to the irony of the situation. The Jews are rightfully portrayed as a historically persecuted group, yet they now seem willing to inflict the same injustice to another group, which by right and history should be their birth cousins. It is as wrong to deny the plight of Palestinians as it is to deny the Holocaust. There has been enough lies and hatred. Let's give truth and peace a chance.

dave frasier United States		03/02/2009

Ethnic Cleansing

Well we can all be thankful it was not a nuclear tipped rocket from India, Ukraine, Pakistan, France, Iran, Russia or the USA. Therefore my tax dollars will still flow down the rat hole of Israel. Palestinian freedom fighters continue to resist the occupation. Jews will murder Muslims any way they can. Guilty of War Crimes: Of course Israel is guilty of war crimes recent and past. Two states of course not the jews want it all. Starting in 1948 Jews have been guilty of war cr

david Switzerland		03/02/2009

children

GoldaM. said when she was in office:"we can forgive the arabs for killing our children, but we cannot forgive them for having us kill their children. WE WILL ONLY HAVE PEACE WITH THE ARABS WHEN THEY'LL LOVE THEIR CHILDREN MORE THAN THEY HATE US!

Yasmine Egypt		03/02/2009

An objective view

Thank you Mr. LeVine for bringing a different opinion to our attention for I think it is very important to understand and acknowledge these different views to better our understanding of the Palestinian cause and to aid our work to solve this ongoing problem. It is evident that you also understand the origin of this comparison as 1,300 people were killed in a matter of two weeks, which leaves people to doubt even more deaths could occur in the near future.

Vera Gottlieb Germany		03/02/2009

Gaza is no Warsaw Ghetto

So true. Gaza is no Warsaw Ghetto...the Nazis never had all that shophistication when it came to weapons of mass destruction.

mongare Kenya		03/02/2009

Ghetto/ghaza/genocide

Nelson mandela was imprisoned for life fighting segregation in his country. He was laballed a terorrist. How does one build a free state in an open air prison? KIlling and maimimg hundreds of women, children and none combatantants does not constitute a victory. Does anyone think that only jewish people are terorrized by tje daily violence brought about by the occupation of palestinian lands by a murderous illegal state entity bent on subjugating the palestinian people and stealing their land?

Jim United States		03/02/2009

Gaza is Stage for Future Ethnic Cleansing

Mr. Levine says "The Warsaw Ghetto was essentially a holding pen for livestock headed for slaughter" If you saw last week's CBS show "60 minutes", host while appearing to sympathize with Gazan's makes a very subtle remark, that one of the option for Isreal to keep it's "Jewish identity" is to do ethnic cleansing. Gazan's may not have faced genocide "YET". But this long term project is well on track waiting for political timing and mass brainwashing e.g. 60 Minutes.

Bob United States		03/02/2009

What genocide?

Hamas is in a state of war with Israel. This is not genocide this is war. Unavoidable civilian deaths in war are acceptable by international law. Firing rockets from civilian areas, including UN facilities, makes civilian deaths unavoidable. What are you people smoking?

Andy Dyer United Kingdom		03/02/2009

Jenin must have been 100s dead

Mark - what are you afraid of, why accept the figure of 56 dead in Jenin? That was just the number of bodies in the hospital - not one seriously injured person got there. 100s must have bled to death in the ruins while the IDF stopped them getting through. Then their bodies were bulldozed.

Omry Israel		03/02/2009

and you call your self an historian ??

first, the jews in poland and germany never elected a terrorist group, who believed in killing all the germans second, the jews never fired a rocket at german cities, aiming at civilians genocide ? if the aim was to kill people in gaza the count was much much higher...why dont you ask hamas why is he hiding weapons in the houses of the people he supposed to protect ?

Sue Canada		04/02/2009

Enough is enough!

I am so sick of hearing that Palestinian suffering just isn't the same as what the Jews suffered in the holocaust. Palestinians have been suffering for 60+ years, with no damn acknowledgement from Israel. If Livni could not even acknowledge Gaza was in a humanitarian crisis during it's offensive in Gaza, when will any other Israeli official admit they have wronged the Palestinians? At least Nazi Germany acknowledged it's mistakes and compensated those who survived.

Joe Afghanistan		04/02/2009

case for occupation

Ok so, Mark LeVine. Tell me he's not another Jewish journalist pretending to be fair & unbiased while waxing eloquent about why the Palestinians should continued to be slaughtered and treated like herd animals in their own ancestral land. Call it what it is already APARTHEID! Of course this is another comment Al Jazeera won't publish. Most other reputable news agencies let you comment DIRECTLY on articles and only remove them if it's an extreme offense. Enjoy deleting a real person's comment!!

Robert Good Afghanistan		04/02/2009

Gaza is no Warsaw Ghetto

Why such a long article saying the Israelis are not as bad as the Nazis of over half a century ago? A more apt comparison would be with apartheid which was unacceptable decades ago.

Mary United States		01/02/2009

comparisons with Warsaw Ghetto

Mr. Levine is of course a bonified member of American Academia which does not tolerate any contradictions to Israel. Please look up Treblinka on Youtube. Interesting data from very hard working investigators.

Anthony Jenkinson Canada		02/02/2009



Professor Levine says that what the IDF has just wrought in Gaza does not meet the definition of Genocide. The definition contained in Article 2 of the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide speaks of the "physical destruction of a group in whole or in part". The ICJ being an organ of the United Nations would certainly be governed, at least in part, by the terms of this Convention. Professor Levine's distinction is therefore invalid.

Richard Wisecarver United States		02/02/2009

reality

Is the whole world retarded? I ask that question everytime the two-state solution is touted as the only way. The Palestinians and the Israelies desperately need to rethink their vision and form a single nation-confederacy of people working together for mutual benefits. Religion is a private and personal issue not a govenment issue. A well fed, wel housed and well educated nation is a proper national goal. The other choice is the horror of Gaza and the West Bank. No one gains from this.

jim Bosnia and Herzegovina		02/02/2009

yes it is

worse than that ghetto.we see israel using anything, any weapon that they can get their hands on.banned or unbanned .they just dont care. from the historic perspective we know that the highest priest of jews cried no the when israel was formed as a country.he said that from their ancient books he knows that after a number of years from the formation of a country the jews will be beaten and they will be banished again.and that date meets 2020.yas 2020.and there are 11 years left now.

Mark LeVine United States		02/02/2009

defining genocide"in whole or in part"

Thanks for the comments. Please see the discussion of what "in part" means vis-a-vis defining genocide in the verdict of the ICTFY Krstic case, available at http://www.worldlii.org/int/cases/ICTY/2004/7.html. It has a very good summary of the arguments and how the definition of "substantial" is understood. Trying to prevent independence is not the same thing as attempting to bring about the "physical-biological" destruction of a group, thus my use of the term 'politicide'.

robyn conlan Afghanistan		02/02/2009

gaza is no warsaw ghetto

having just read mark levine's article i am astounded by the contradictions in it. he states that 'if gaza is today's warsaw, then palestinians have no hope' and later that ''50% of gaza's children ..so scarred (psychologically) ..they have no will to live'. if hope is what people need to have the will to survive then israel has deprived gazans of that. besides, the two state solution is a hoax perpetrated by the us and israel with no hope of succeeding as israel has stolen most of the land.

John Smith United States		02/02/2009



I can't believe how much some people want the situation in Gaza to be genocide, just so that they can point to the hideous "irony" and show their faux indignation. And the war crime accusation is an interesting phenomenon as well. They take a side firmly, arguing the technicalities of Israel's use of white phosphorous with passion.... Honestly, the only war crime Israel committed is war itself, and you don't need to contemptuously point out that Israel violated Article 13.4 Section B76!

Keith United States		02/02/2009

Richard Wisecarver

Thank You! Of all my time spent reading al-Jezeera on the crisis in Gaza, you are the first person to actually make a rational comment on what the solution should be. A divided Palestinian state connected by a land corridor is not viable, it must be a one-state solution with Israelis and Palestinians living side-by-side. They've done it with walls and violence for this long, let's see if they can do it with street corners and peace for a change.

TimothyL United States		02/02/2009

error in definition defeats thesis

While I have huge respect for the writings of Prof. Levine, here he makes a legalistic argument whcih fails. Why? The word "entire" as modifier of group, does not appear at all in The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. One thing you can't do in the world of law, is make your own definition, different than the statute, the basis for argument. When done, the argument fails simply because it is not relevant to the statute in question.

Mars Germany		02/02/2009

Gazans tell Israeli investigators of Hamas abuses

Nuaf Atar spoke about the use of Gazan schools to shoot rockets at Israel. Zabhi Atar revealed that Hamas used food coupons to entice Palestinians to join its ranks and Hamad Zalah said Hamas took control of UNRWA food supplies transferred to Gaza and refused to distribute them to people affiliated with Fatah. Many of the suffereing is brought over the people ofGaza by their own fellower.

Paolo Italy		02/02/2009

Few deads

The problem is: too less deads in Gaza? Is it question of numbers? Thake time... the israelis have a lot of years to complete the palestinian's genocide... And the world is agree with their project.

greatmag United States		02/02/2009

Gaza as a ghetto

If Gaza is a ghetto it is because the Arab nations have made it one. The Arab nations have closed their borders to the people of Gaza and the West Bank when they voluntarily became refugees. Before the 6 day war Gaza was occupied by Egypt and the West Bank was occupied by Jordan. They set up these refugee camps and refused to integrate fellow Arabs into their countries. I have no sympathy for people that danced after 9/11. They should leave Israel.

moin India		02/02/2009

Gaza - singularity of misfortune

Brilliant article Mr Levine, i somehow agree with you that making comparism between Gaza and Warsaw is not an appropriate option to look at the scheme of things. but i strongly believe that this situation has its own exclusivity and making comparison in mathematical terms is also not a great idea. because in numbers it may not convey the real picture of the sufferning of the Palestinians in the region.

Ben Hornstein United Kingdom		02/02/2009

Very clever article

Prof. LeVine is rather selective of history, which is ineveitable when one is pushing an indefensible ideology. The trouble with his arguments is that he seems to have ignored the fact that the vast majority of Jews who suffered at the hands of Nazis were opposed to Zionist ideology. Zionist were indeed in business with the Nazis under a Ha'avara agreement, a deal allowing Zionists to move out of Germany and settle in Palestine in exchange for promoting German goods in Jewish dominated markets.

Dan United States		02/02/2009

Gaza is no Warsaw Ghetto

But it is, very much so. Just because not as many Palestinians have died in comparison to other horrific tragedies does not mean we should be complicit with what is happening. The real reason Israel gets away with all of this is 1) Holocaust guilt that keeps the world from criticizing them, and 2) Israel spends a ton of money on PR which is constantly bending the truth to what is really happening. I think Venezuela had the right idea, sever ties with Israel until they clean up their act.

Sava Zxivanovich United Kingdom		02/02/2009

Wrong Facts

Dear Sir, I believe the AlJazeera was more impartial than BBC or CNN and I will like to help it to continue this tradition. In a civil war in Bosnia & Hezegovina died 100.000 people of whom around 60.000 were Bosniaks, 30.000 were Serbs and 10.000 were Croats. Bosniaks were 45% of the pre-war population, Serbs around 35%. Bosniak were killed in fights against Serbs, but also in fights against Croats (and those were the most fierce one) and between themselves (will continue).

Sam United States		02/02/2009

Heh

You could compare alot of things to the ghetto in Warsaw, but that doesnt make the comparison true. If this was genocide, why are they all still alive? If Israel wanted to kill all the Palastinians I'm sure they would have already see'ing as they have been capable of doing so for quite some time. I say if you want this 'genocide' to stop overthrow the government that continues to taunt Israel into bombing your people. Stop attacking Israel, if the blockade continues the world will see your cause

James United States		02/02/2009

Fair reporting

Thanks for your fair report on this issue. If all Americans, Israelis and Palestinians were this fair and accurate I'm sure that there would be much less violence in Palestine.

honey United States		02/02/2009

GAZA IS WARSAW GHETTO

Prof. Mark LeVine are you giving a Green Light to the Zionist Israel to continue her genocide against the Palestinians. Sir, for your information since the establishment of Israel, the Palestinians are being ethnically cleansed in inhumane way & their land & properties seized. Should the Palestinians be paying for what the Germans did to you. Israel has created a new Warsaw Ghetto, is committing Genocide & creating Holocaust of the Palestinians. Sir, wake up.

VIP10 Poland		02/02/2009

To the author

So how many Palestinans have to die yet to call this process 'a genocide'? I laugh at this article, I wonder what does the author talk about? 1300 deaths in 3 weeks! Wake up man! I'd like to see you writing the same article if those deads were your family. We can compare/we cant compare, it's not a subject of this massacre. Every single life is precious and it's worse for Jews that in 2009 we see people massacred! 70 years later it's still the same. White fosforus..

A. United States		02/02/2009



I understand the need to debate analogies used in regards to Gaza but all in all I find these comparisons distraticve from the very real suffering that has plagued Palestine for decades. We can argue until we lose our voices about whether or not Gaza can be "officially" labeled a gencocide, but it is what it is. Thousands dead, millions of refugees suffering from an incredibly horrific occupation. In the end, we must focus on the reality of the present.

Krapotkin United States		03/02/2009

So Gaza is not Warsaw?

The US Levines', will try to rationalize the slaughter of Palestinians walled in the Gaza ghetto, that there is a huge distance between Palestine and Poland, and that the use of terms reserved to the Holocaust is not applicable, but for us goys, the results are exactly the same, especially when reading translation of some Israeli political leaders, such as A.Liberman & Co.

blowback Afghanistan		03/02/2009

Warsaw ghetto

The Warsaw Ghetto was established in October 1940 when Nazi policy was to mostly relocate the Jews eastward rather than exterminate them on an industrial scale. If a few Jews died during that relocation, the Nazis had no problem with that. It was only after the conference of 31 July 1941 to discuss the future of the occupied Soviet territories that planning for the final solution of the Jewish question began. There are definite similarites between the Warsaw Ghetto of late 1940 and Gaza now.

Yusef United States		03/02/2009

Genocide

Your definition of genocide proves that isrealis actions during the war were genocide. You deliberatly contradict yourself. Israel intended to hit targets that were heavily built around civilian areas. They targeted United Nations schools and hospitals, this was delibrate and was never denied. This by definition is genocide

Sherief El-Banna United States		03/02/2009

Perpetual State of Misery

It is disturbingly amusing to read articles such as yours trivialize the pain, suffering and indignity of a people into a series of comparisons with past examples of human misery and meaningless definitions according to international law. One glaring comparison you fail to make is the element of time. All the examples you cite occurred over a relatively brief period. While all are horrible, they ultimately concluded. The Palestinan/ Gazan crisis is perpetual with no end in sight. Never again?

Margaret Evans United Kingdom		03/02/2009

False Comparison

Levines comparison is a futile exercise. Oof course 2 holocausts are not going to be exactly the same, just like 2 football matches would not be the same. But as far as deadly intention, disregard for international law, immorality and human suffering go, Gaza is there at the top and the Israelis show no sign of ending. Levine quotes statistics from Warsaw as if they were proven facts, yet questions every Palestinian report and statistic. Irrelavant comparison. Gaza was a massacre.

Ros Ross Australia		03/02/2009

Statistics damned lies

So there are not enough dead Palestinians to call it genocide? Does that mean that because 20million Soviet citizens died at the hands of Stalin the paltry few millions by comparison which Hitler killed don't really count as a holocaust?

James Livingston New Zealand (Aotearoa)		03/02/2009

Gaza Warsaw

Zionist controlled Israel poses a real threat to both Christian and Muslim in Palestine as well as in Israel. With strong US military, political and financial support the persecution of the West Palestinians will doubtless continue as will the annexation of East Palestine. There is still no solution to the Palestinian question.

Scott Pearson New Zealand (Aotearoa)		03/02/2009

It isnt over yet

Certainly, if one compares the statistics, Gaza is not the Warsaw Ghetto - yet. But there is one major difference. The Warsaw Ghetto is in the past, while the story of Gaza is still unfolding. The seige has not being lifted, people are still starving, shelled and traumatised. The body count continues to climb...

Syed Tareq Ahmed Bangladesh		03/02/2009

Gaza is no Warsaw Ghetto

All this measure for measure comparison of human misery reflects our inherant sadistic gory side of our long history of apathy and carelessness. Enough is enough. Please channel all the intelligence and wisdom towards the International Court of Justice and give the Gazans an oppurtunity to survive.

kyle Canada		03/02/2009

Mark Levine

Please print more articles by this man! Excellent article, as evidenced by about 500 comments on your website with vastly different conclusions.

Alireza Denmark		03/02/2009

Gaza is no Warsaw Ghetto

Of course NOT, but if anyone is killed in Darfur, Georgia and any where on the earth all world is up side down but how many people have died in mid-East since 1948 who cares?? exporting problem from Europe to mid-east was easiest way to deal with your past in Europe. But who cares about the lives of over a milo. in Gaza as far as it is not europiean matter just keep it away. But many confilicts in Africa, Europe and Asia it is International security matter but not Gaza. The less the better?

Karl Banasik United States		03/02/2009

Gaza is no Warsaw Ghetto

First of all...Gaza worse than the Warsaw Ghetto....the people of Gaza have been forced into a make shift prison since 1948. And to say that people in the ghetto used tunnels to smuggle food and goods from the "Aryan" side is flat wrong. Do people at Aljazeera realize that Polish people are Slavic not Aryan?

helen bulog Canada		03/02/2009

calling planet earth !

do any bloggers hear know what Hamas' charter says about destroying Israel and killing all the jews as a national goal ? does daily rocket fire into Israel towns and villages and suicide bombers have anything to do with that goal ? didn't the Israelis leave Gaza and Gazans work in Israel until Hamas took over ?

Bret Thiele United States		03/02/2009



Article 2 of the Genocide Convention can be found here: http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/p_genoci.htm

Melisa United States		03/02/2009

Gaza is no Warsaw Ghetto

If the situation in Gaza is like the Warsaw Ghetto......the Muslims in Gaza are like Jews?? First the Palestinians were "South Africa Negroes" now they are "Nazi Era Jews". What they will become tomorrow, "American Indians"? Trying to inflict pain in the Jews pride they Palestinians are just loosing their main goal: To build a national history (where never was) and state (where is not!!). What will they become tomorrow, American Indians? Why dont you become Palestininans!!

Stan G United States		03/02/2009

I think many of you have it backwards.

Mahmoud al-Zahar and Assad have declared victory in the latest Hamas vs israel battle, so why the tears? In fact, Gaza has chosen to continue its efforts to destroy Israel. It just sent a missle into Ashkelon. Such a shame they don't have better guidance so they can better aim at a school bus, a temple or a church.

Joe in San Francisco United States		03/02/2009

Gaza and Warsaw

Ok, ok, enough already about Warsaw. But maybe Hamburg or Dreden?

Bob United States		03/02/2009

Hamas

Hamas could prevent a lot of their problems if they'd only aim their missles at military bases or at least military outposts. This would let them claim their not targeting civilians on purpose.

bob United States		03/02/2009

the jews will all be slaughtered

silly article. the jews will not kill all the palestinians. rather the palestinians will kill all the jews. jew-hatred and determination to destroy israel are the central pillars of modern islam and the sole unifying force of the arab world. eventually the arabs will kill all the jews. why be surprised that the jews try to delay that event and want to kill palestinians why they can?

Wyne United States		03/02/2009

Gaza is no Warsaw Ghetto

In reading the comments, it is quiet clear that those that seem to be more passionate are in fact sitting thousands of miles away from this zone. Here is a suggestion - let us ask those on both sides of the Israel-Gaza border what they believe. After all, it is the state of helplessness that makes us believe if we are in a Gheto or not.

Logihead Canada		04/02/2009

Gaza is no Warsaw Ghetto

You right when you say Gaza is no Warsaw Ghetto. Warsaw ghetto was created to bring Jews there in order to murder them ONLY because they are Jews. Warsaw Ghetto Jews did NOT shoot missile on German population centers Gaza is Independent Arab Land with a Clear Intention of Eliminating Jews from Israel. Arabs in gaza are attacked ONLY because they shoot and terrorize Israeli population, if Gazans will stop with it so will Israel

Howard United States		04/02/2009

Hideous Name calling

Sadly, Al-Jazeera violates its own rules, permitting constant associations of Jews, Israel and Zionism with genocide and Nazism. Why do you permit such incendiary and false allegations? Your (Al-Jazeera's) supposed news reporting charged Israel with deliberately attacking schools. Have you the decency to admit this was wrong? Have you noted that the Abbas government has charged Hamas with killing 113 Fatah-affiliated Gaza residents, or that Gazans admit that Hamas used civilians as shields?

Peter Lagerquist Sweden		04/02/2009

a tilt in the frame

i suspect it's not incidental that palestinians relate existentially to this that in jenin and gaza, both camp spaces, the destruction was disproportionate to the human toll. with the no. of houses destroyed, there could have been 20,000 dead. why not? the idf called before bombing, also dropped preliminary bomblets. but then, why bomb, if not to kill? the answer: to make people homeless. urbicide. as well as politicide. the destruction of everything you know. again. shou nakba, bil inglizi?

hmpierson United States		04/02/2009

Accuracy

No, Gaza is no Warsaw ghetto. The Globe and Mail broke the story about Israel NOT hitting the UN school. An UNWRA teacher told how he had been prevented from telling the truth about it. LeVine makes a good point about how Palestinian exaggerations diminish their arguments (as in Jenin, and the UN school story). Of course, most of the posters on this story refuse to let facts get in the way of their preconceived notions. No rockets, no retaliation. Got it? Rockets accomplish nothing.

Paul Canada		05/02/2009

The comparison is a joke

Palestinians/Arabs can live in Israel, work in Israel, prosper in Israel, and be educated at the top academic institutions in Israel. As long as they want to live in peace, they can flourish within Israel. This is the truth. Jews were killed during the Holocaust irregardless of the fact that they wanted to and were living peacefully within the general population. They had no choice. The Palestinians have a choice and a lot of them make the one for peace, unfortualtley some ruin it for others.

Jack Feldman United States		05/02/2009

Biased Article

Mark LeVine is no Unbiased Writer Check out all his previous writing too...

Al Globus United States		05/02/2009

Gaza

If Israel wanted to commit genocide in Gaza they could. Israel certainly has the firepower. Deaths would be in the hundreds of thousands, or more. So why don't they? Perhaps they are not who their enemies think they are.

Jackie United States		05/02/2009

Nice Try but its still a Palestine Holocaust

Israel did the same thing to the Palestine people as what was done to them. Sending woman/children in houses to kill them all. Executing children, burning them to death. The Problem for Israel is the World saw it live on TV. Now that pity Israel has always pushed on people about their Holocaust doesn't work anymore. Israel Leaders are COLD BLOODED MURDERS. Blaming Hamas wont work. To hear Israel tell the story they did nothing at all. God will be Israel's Judge.

Wondering United States		05/02/2009

Levines Intent

Levine's intent on writing the article is the opposite of the articles implied objective by its title. He's using a well known journalistic method - ostensibly denounce a condition by showing it's lack of complete parallels or inaccuracies while using the parallels which exist in part and differences in the inaccuracies to highlight the condition ostensibly written to oppose it. Classic. The Warsaw ghetto was created by the with intent to anhialate the Jewish population in Warsaw.

flereno Germany		05/02/2009



Gaza is a reeducation camp. It reeducated civilized people to become terrorists. God alone knows why Israel should want this.

George New Zealand (Aotearoa)		05/02/2009

humanity

So, you are Jewish. Muslim. Christian. Atheist. Is what happened an evil act or not? Do you care about another persons suffering despite politics/religion/ideology? Is what the ISRAELI GOVERNMENT, MILITARY AND THEIR SUPPORTERS HAVE DONE IS EVIL? If so, join with all in opposing it, even if you are an Israeli, a Jew, a Muslim, a Christian or an Atheist. It is a simple idea - does the world care about human suffering or not?

Adam Mali		05/02/2009

a wall every country would have built

there were constant suicide bombing and attacks on israel from gaza before there was a wall. every country has a right to protect its borders and select who they allow in. there were rocket attacks after israel left gaza while there was no siege.

saif mathe South Africa		05/02/2009

gaza no warsaw ghetto

There is definetly genocide taking place in Gaza,but it's no ghetto.The Palestines have alot of Heart and will never give up.The People of Palestine are very Brave,and will Not allow themselves to be wiped out.The one point that is very correct is,The ISRAELIS ARE JUST LIKE THE NAZIS.

Anne South Africa		05/02/2009

DEATH TOLL

B'TSELEM (the Israeli Information Centre for Human Rights) stated that the death toll on 19 Jan was 'at least 1300'. This number was obtained from the Palestinian Ministry of Health. Check the archive on the B'TSELEM website.

jacob Denmark		05/02/2009

ashamed jew

Gaza is no Warsaw but worse ,we call us humen,we use nepalm bombs,we kill childern,we bomb hospitals,we bomb schools, we kill and we kill in name of justice and we we call us civilaised and we say that we live in democratic world

George Heads Cyprus		05/02/2009

Hamas has stolen aid

So Hamas has taken aid meant for the civilian population!An army marches on its stomach therefore the need to stockpile is essential. Any aid agency will agree there is a certain percentage of aid never finds its way to the people whether it is filtered off before it gets there, is taken by the starving bullies, falls into the hands of black marketers, or taken by the resistance for supplies. These losses are expected calculated for. What is not acceptable is that the aggressors should stop aid.

r taylor United Kingdom		05/02/2009

The ^ million Jews who died in WW2

The Jews always go on about their peolple being killed during WW2, but what about the 20-Million Russians or the Millions of people with mental or physical deformaties who were killed also. Then there is the question of freedom fighters against the British troops in Palestine after WW2 who were trying to set up a homeland for the Jews, but were Murdered by the so called freedom fighters. So what are the Palestinians who fight against the Jewish occupation of their land now, terrorists or what? .

Big Oil Canada		05/02/2009

War is on the horizone anyway...

Not forgetting the nature of the economy back then too. The world was in the grips of a depression, when WWII broke out. The spectre of protectionism is inevitable, countries reliant on foreign markets are in real danger (Israel). True, Israel is the USA's favorite client, but there are questions. Anyway, Gaza could be eradicated in a matter of a couple months, if Israel felt threatened. The worst is yet to come. One chilling aspect is different this time, the spectre of nuclear weapons.

Tawfik United States		05/02/2009

Palestinian Citizens in Israel

I wonder if any of those accusing Israel of genocide realize that there are millions of Palestinians living in Israel. They are the richest group of Palestinians in the Middle East and are under no violent threats. They have democratic rights to vote and as liberal protections as individuals. There is a war between Gaza and Israel but not a genocide of one or the other group.

Henrik Arve Sweden		05/02/2009



If Gaza were a Nazi extermination camp, how come there are any Palestinians alive, still? You can't answer that question without exposing the utter folly of the comparison! Henrik Arve

V Antarctica		05/02/2009

Israel & Palestine

Why cant we just stop arguing and do some thing about it .. or if we cant ..then we better keep our mouths shut !

soumaya France		05/02/2009

Gaza is no Warsaw Ghetto?

If some of people choose to compare gaza with Warsaw ghetto it is because they have seen things that nobody could expected to see.Personnaly I think that the words are not sufficient to express what happened here!I hope that we are not going to let the situation become more serious.What are we waiting for? Do we really have to wait for Gaza Strip to become a real Warsaw ghetto before the world realises what is happening...?Yet how long before acting?

Hassan Sweden		05/02/2009

Gaza is no Warsaw Ghetto

1.5 million Palestinians have not ended in Gaza riding Space Ships. More than 85 % of them come from Yafo, Ashdod, Ashqelon, Sderot, etc, where all those Israeli cities and towns are built on top of the homes of those who ended up refugees in their own homeland in a ghetto in a concentration camp… So please STOP benign ignorants …

Andrea B Australia		06/02/2009

Palestinian Human Rights??where? Genocide or not!

I am wondering... Do Palestinians have the right to defend themselves against Israel attacks and occupation as much as Israel does? Do Palestine have the right to be a free country, the right to decide their own affairs as Israel? DO Palestinians have the right to elect democratically their own politicians as Israel does? Do Palestinians have the right to receive $3Billion a year in support from another state as Israel does? Do Palestinian have the same human rights as Israel civilians?

Peter Slovakia		06/02/2009

Mideast conflict

It is totally disgusting making these comparisons between the nazi genocide and the war on gaza. the palestinians brought this disaster on themselves by terrorizing israeli population. the only way for the independent palestinian state goes through negotiations and not by suicide bombings, firing rockets. Hamas is a terrorist organisation that doesnt care about the plight of the palestinians. this is time for moderate arabs becouse they and israelis want to achieve the same goal

realist Great Britain (UK)		06/02/2009

gaza warsaw ghetto

The reality is that hamas and the islamic movement are required to eliminate the jews in israel as part of their charter. The cries about palestinian genocide are bogus. if hamas want's to eliminate the israeli jews, who is really promoting genocide. it is the hamas.

Otis United States		06/02/2009

Waiting

Still waiting for a TRUE accounting of how many and who was killed in the Israeli response to the missiles from Gaza. My bet, max 200 civilians not related to Hamas. And I wonder how many Palestinian refugees would return to the West Bank and Gaza if given the opportunity when There is a Palestinian state next to Israel. Doubt many would accept the uncertainties until the relationship between Israel and Palestine is cemented and both are prosperous.

Ian Australia		06/02/2009

More Jewish Propaganda

The current situation in Gaza may not be as bad as the Warsaw Ghettos in 1945, but Israel is working hard to ensure it is just as bad or worse. The systematic eviction of civilians from their homes, the total destruction of all their properties, the continued sniping of children in classrooms, the continued killing with impunity by IDF members, the condoning of IDF war crimes by Israeli politicians will ensure the Gaza Ghetto surpasses the Warsaw Ghetto in severity & criminality.

Max Poland		06/02/2009

Agree with Derrick from AU

Moreover, 'facts' about Warsaw Ghetto were, like all holocaust-related 'information', exaggerated by post war communist regime dominated by Jews. Objectivity is the last thing you can expect in this World...

Carole Lowes-Kotiesen Canada		06/02/2009

Gaza is no Warsaw Ghetto

Academic discussions are irrelevant to the people of Gaza.They have suffered the horror of ongoing deprivation of the necessities of life, restricted freedom, the humiliation of endless checkpoints, their loved one jailed and a world that has abandoned them.In 22 days their loved ones have been killed or injured and their homes and infrastructure have been destroyed and the blockade continues.Genocide may be a legal term but we all know that the letter of the law does not always bring justice.

Shoshana Levi Israel		07/02/2009

UN calls it Genocide!

Perhaps you were not aware of the UN definition, but under Article 2 of the CPPCG, what Israel has done to Gazans qualifies as genocide: (a) Killing members of the group (b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group (c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part (d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group (e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another grou

Jeff G. United States		05/02/2009

It is close enough to be reprehensible

Perhaps Israel has not figured out how to carry out its final solution for their "Palestinian problem", but there is no doubt that eliminating the Palestinians is and always has been Israel's goal. Both the Nazis and Zionists practice(d) eugenics in order to preserve racial purity, and both engage(d) in ethnic cleansing to cleanse those who would threaten the master or chosen race's authority, making both doctrines equally reprehensible.

Bob Afghanistan		05/02/2009

Gaza-Warsaw

While we argue as to the comparison of Warsaw and Gaza (holocaust and ghetto), Israel continues it's politicide. The game is to sidetrack the real issues and demonize the Arab world to justify the racist, zionist policies that stand behind the founding of the state of Israel.

melody lane United States		05/02/2009

gaza and the ghetto

A United Nations aid agency has accused Hamas of seizing hundreds of food parcels and thousands of blankets destined for civilians in the Gaza Strip. This is the UN, stating this. Does this not tell you of the heart of Hamas. They want you to believe the Jews are trying to knock off the Pals, but Jews don't want that. They just want Muslim terrorists to stop killing Jews all over the world. That is genocide.

Mark United States		05/02/2009

Death Toll

Someone please help me to understand this number (1300 palestinians killed) during recent conflict. I was under the impression that neither Israeli nor foreign journalists were allowed into the Gaza Strip during the Israeli attack. Who was providing these death numbers that everyone is using? Has this death toll been independently confirmed by a legitimate source? In your responses please refer to your source so I can verify you are not using imaginary numbers. Thank you.

Marco Pico Albania		05/02/2009

Factual error Bosnia

Of the 100.000 killed in the Bosnian War 56.000 were Muslims, 35.000 were Serbs and 9000 were Croats.

John Paul Switzerland		05/02/2009

Gaza is No Warsaw Ghetto

There has developed a trend in media and politics to use European historical tradition as a baseline to understand and even rationalise actions and current events in the Middle East. This has become apparent with the continual references to WWII, used by everyone from the Bush Administration to Hamas and Ahmedinejad! Whlie such comparisions may be used to deliver a specific editorial or political agenda, we should pay more attention to the facts as they exist on the ground.

Derek United States		05/02/2009

Insanity

This is the most e-mailed article on this primarily muslim network! I smell somthing fishy! I am not christian, muslim, or jewish. I want to live a nice life. I want a family, a car, a refrigerator filled with food, and a reason to work everyday. When you have those things, you do what it takes to protect them. If your the bully on the block and the little kid hits you, you knock him out. Isreal can only be beat diplomatically. Pressure politically and the world will support you. I do.

Ahmed KAtsha Syria		05/02/2009

Gaza IS Warsaw Ghetto

Actually you are correct if you looked at the two ghettos from the "numbers" point of view. The number of dead people in Gaza or even in Palestine since 1948 or even 1930s, might not reach the number of Jews were killed by Nazis. But does this change the case? NO, still there is an ongoing daily killing for innocents in Gaza. It is good to hear you saying the world "occupation". This is the case, you as historian, should tell us about it. How a people came and took another peoples' land.

Randy United States		05/02/2009

Gaza is todays Warsaw.

I get so tired of the claim "The Hamas leaders have declared their intent to be the total destruction of Israel and the Jews" as justification for Israel's brutality. So bloody what if they made that statement. This conflict is so one sided, it's pathetic. It's Israel with the unlimited access of US aide in the $$Billions, the Tanks, the Nukes, the Bombs, and the Warplanes, against the Palestinians - who do what! Fired a few homemade firecrackers into Israel as a nuisance.

Chris Hall New Zealand (Aotearoa)		05/02/2009

Palestinean of all religion being murdered

I hope that people understand that not only Palestinian muslims were murdered in this massacre, but also the Christians!!! Why the pope doesn't seem to care? Is it because there's very few of them it doesnt count? Stop thinking this as a israeli-arab war, but a war by the halocaust-victims-turned-psycho-murderers against innocent human beings that unfortnunately were born a Palestineans!!!All Christians stand up and help!!! This is human injustice at its core for even a blind man can see.

Leon Zambia		05/02/2009

SICK OF INTERNATION DOUBLE STANDARD

Comparisons are good in this case to make the Jewish leaders of Israel realise that despite them condeming Hitlers' dictatorial rule. They are also doing exactly the same with the powers they have from the American support. Israel leadership is much hasher than Hitler in comparison because the Jews have examples of genocide and how history has judged these activities and they are exactly repeating what genocide perpetrators did knowingly. They are worser than the Nazis.

Ali India		05/02/2009

Gaza is no Warsaw Ghetto

This is to all people who know not what they speak.It's Hamas who threatens but its Israel who acts,,exterminating the Palestinian population time and again. All this to divert the attention of the real problems it faces,changing Demographies...this may well be haunting the Zionists.The Palestinian population has consistantly increased whereas the Israeli Population is an amalgamation of different identities.What's interesting to know is the Israeli governments are dominated by American Jews

Larry Canada		05/02/2009

Historical distortion

I find it difficult to accept much that Mark Levine writes when he distorts historical information from other conflicts. He states there were 200,000 Bosnian Muslims killed by the Sebs between 1992 and 1995. This is a myth that has been repeated and repeated but is not supported by any documentary evidence. Even the Demographic Unit of the Prosecuter for the ICTY estimated that deaths on all sides was 100,000. In a second study it was found there 55,000 civilian deaths - 16,000 were Serbs.

ash United Kingdom		05/02/2009

gaza and the Ghetto

What utter tripe! Hamas has diverted aid from the west to buy weapons. Hamas has uesd the gun to silence opposition. The arab world haven't help to solve the problem in any way, those who did (sadat) were assasination. All muslims believe that those who are not of the same faith are 'kaffar'. Any idiot knows that guns done solve problems or dialoge does. The muslim world doesn't have a King, Gandhi, Mandela etc.

brian dillon Australia		06/02/2009

Gaza Ghetto

While ever the parties of God hold power on either side, there will never be any peace. If the Israeli far right gain more power in the up-coming election, which apparently is a forgone conclusion, then genocide is only a matter of time. The whole operation against Gaza was mearly a vote gathering excercise & I'm dismayed that such a large majority of Isreali's have fallen for it. The extreme jewish right are equally fanatical as Hammas, where are the secularists in Israel & Palastine ?

bobby Canada		07/02/2009

Warsaw-Gaza

The palestinian politicide is first and foremost an Arab problem. The West can be sympathetic to one side or the other but the solution will come in stages only if the Arab nations get their act together and act in unsion. We who deplore Israel's policies and holocaust can individually act by boycotting all Isreali products, artists and demonstrate accordingly but the real answers must come from arabian nations which is not evident as they are totally corrupt and run by degenerates.

Seán Ireland		07/02/2009

Gaza is no Warsaw Ghetto

It is a panopticon the gates and walls of which are imposed and controlled by an occupying army. The people are deliberately impoverished and left half starved and killed by illegal weapons. If it is not the Warsaw Ghetto then surely it is some other hell.

Joanne United States		07/02/2009

Gaza as ghetto

Maybe we should give all the land back to Turkey, that would include Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. Things were pretty peaceful then. I'm sorry Jordan refused to create Palestine after 1948 on the West Bank and Jerusalem, with Egypt giving Gaza. That was terrible! It is worse that Palestine can only happen since 1967, when Israel began to control the area. Palestine will be a creation of Israel. Shocking! Why won't Hamas leave Israel alone, since Israel is the only one who will make Palestine real?

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