Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Arab Intellectual: The Holocaust Must Be Remembered by Everybody - For It Targeted the Very Essence of Humanity

ACT:

Arab Intellectual: The Holocaust Must Be Remembered by Everybody - For It Targeted the Very Essence of Humanity

MEMRISpecial Dispatch - No. 2322
April 22, 2009

In an article posted April 21, 2009 on the liberal Arab website www.elaph.com, reformist writer Basem Muhammad Habib condemns the Holocaust denial in the Arab world. He states that this trend, which is unreasonable and inhumane, is motivated by political agendas, and by a false belief that empathy for the victims of the Holocaust amounts to a betrayal of the Palestinian cause. He calls on the Arabs to separate these two issues, and to join the world in commemorating the Holocaust, for it was an attack on the very essence of humanity. Following are excerpts:

There Is No Connection at All Between the Reality of the Holocaust and What Has Happened in Palestine “These days, the world is commemorating the Holocaust, because it was one of the biggest massacres in history, which surpassed other massacres in its barbarity, even those committed by primitive civilizations. Abundant [evidence] indicates that more than six million Jews were killed during the 1930s and 1940s, having been accused by the Nazi authorities of conspiring with the Allies, of causing the Germany’s defeat in World War I, and of cooperating with the efforts of its enemies in World War II. This racist thinking fed the feelings of hatred towards the Jews, and led to this horrible massacre, whose wounds are still tormenting the world even decades later.

“Though this horrible event has become part of history, and cannot possibly be denied, there are nevertheless some who insist on denying it and on questioning [the validity of] the numbers, out of motivations that are mostly political. [This is true] especially in our region, which is steeped in [psychological] complexes and feelings of resentment. Many [in our region] attempt to link the Holocaust and the issue of Palestine, believing that to recognize and commemorate the Holocaust is to betray the Palestinian cause. This approach raises questions about the soundness of the ideologies that dominate our attitudes and feelings - ideologies that are clearly not anchored in sound logic, and are not at all consistent with our human values. Thus, we unwittingly turn our backs on the proper human attitude, just because our feelings of hatred get the better of us.

“There is no connection at all between the reality of the Holocaust and what has happened in Palestine. These are two different matters that [occurred in different] times and places, and we can assess each of them independently of the other. [Only] then… will our judgment be free and grounded in correct values and sincere sentiments.

“Instead of doubting [the historicity of the Holocaust], we should admire the Jewish political leaders for the interest they show in the Jewish [Holocaust] victims and for their constant remembrance of those atrocities. They dedicate much effort to honoring their memory, documenting their trials, and fighting for [the survivors’] rights, wherever they are. This is something we hardly ever see in our region, where people are killed for the most trivial reasons, and their suffering and pain are quickly forgotten. In Iraq, for example, hundreds of thousands were killed [under Saddam Hussein’s] reign of terror and tyranny, yet we have never heard of any attempt to commemorate these victims, nor have we seen any concern for their lost rights…

“Today, the world has become free of [fascist] ideologies, and the reign of reason is expanding. Even Germany, which witnessed this criminal massacre, has acknowledged this catastrophe, and has begun to atone for it in various ways, [for example] by providing annual economic support to Israel. The U.N., for its part, has issued a resolution designating January 27 as [International] Holocaust Remembrance Day… This date was chosen in honor of the few survivors who were discovered in Auschwitz by the Allies [when they liberated the camp on January 27,] 1945 - [survivors] who were among the few who experienced the horror [of the Holocaust] and lived to tell the tale.”

Holocaust Denial Usually Stems Not from Scholarly Motivations, But from Political Ones “Because of the doubts raised by many [people about the Holocaust], some countries have been forced to issue laws that criminalize any attempt to doubt or deny this event - for the casting of doubt does not usually stem from scholarly motivations but [comes to serve] political and ideological goals… Some regard such laws as undemocratic, and as indicating a pro-Israel bias. However, the truth is that [these laws] came in response to a wave of irrational doubt, promoted by certain parties under the guise of scientific inquiry.

“The Holocaust deserves to be [recognized as] a momentous world event, because it targeted [the very essence of] our humanity. At the time, there was no Jewish state and most of those who suffered this injustice lived in Europe in small Diaspora communities.

“We [Arabs] should feel empathy for the victims of the Holocaust and commemorate them, as do others [throughout the world]. Certainly, our participation in commemorating this event will help our international position and change the way people regard us. Perhaps we will be able to improve our image in the eyes of the world and reverse some of the damage that the terrorists have done.”

17 comments:

Damien said...

midnight rider,

Well this guys no Jihadist! Maybe there's some hope for region if more people like him speak out, despite threats to their lives.

midnight rider said...

And there's the rub,Damien. IF they speak out. Which is what we all have been saying is needed all along.

Anonymous said...

What?? Is it the Muslim equivalent of April Fool's Day?

Is this real?

Ro

Damien said...

Ro,

I don't see any reason to think this is not real, and why should we think that every single Arab is a hate filled fanatic?

Anonymous said...

Um - 'cos the "hate-filled fanatics" generally threaten gruesome death to these types, I guess.

Gruesome death threats (or "turned by terror") are generally pretty effective silencers.

Hope this guy lives long enough to get some publicity, but not very hopeful

Ro

Anonymous said...

ZAKAT pay SEDITION

jihad (violent and stealth jihad)is waged to submit the infidel world, zakat is religiously mandated.


zakat:
Koran (9:60):

1. The poor
2. Those who collect these alms
3. To attract the hearts of those who have been inclined (towards Islam) (Da’wa)
4. To free those in captivity
5. For those in debt
6. For “Allah’s Cause” (i.e. for Majahidun, those fighting in holy battle, Jihad)
7. For the wayfarer

EVERY MUSLIM KNOWS IT. The moderates pay zakat too. Who are they kidding?!

Anonymous said...

zakat is one the five pillars of islam, part of that money pays jihad (sedition).

Pastorius said...

Anonymous,
You are correct. However, you did not answer my question in a previous thread.

WEre all Germans who paid taxes equally responsible for what the Germans did in WWII?

I would say no. It seems to me we can not hold people responsible for not having the tremendous moral courage it takes to completely sever oneself and family from the economic structure which ends up paying for our meals and the roof over our heads.

That being said, I think this post is pretty much a non-story.

I don't tend to post on individual crimes of Muslims (in other words, when some Muslim idiot does something stupid I don't tend to think it is a story - unless it is representative of some broader movement), and likewise, I do not think this guy is representative of a broader movement. If he had an organization consisting of tens of thousands of people, then that would be significant.

And, I'm with Ro, how is it that this guy is getting away with saying this stuff, and not receiving gruesome death threats.

Smells a bit fishy. Just a bit.

Anonymous said...

Pastorius,
I don´t know what you are talking about, it must have been another anonymous, unless it´s about a conversation I have stopped to check the replies.

Pastorius said...

I do agree with you that Zakat ought to be considered Treason in the West.

Damien said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Pastorius said...

Exactly.

Truth is, by the way, it is very likely that any Islamic Investment, whether it be in the West or not, also pays Zakat, which is an indirect way for the individual to pay Zakat.

In such a case, one can only hold a person as culpable as their knowledge makes them.

There are plenty of Infidels who are contributing to Sharia Finance these days.

By the way, according to Sharia-Finance expert Alyssa Lappen, the law of the United States stipulates that no monies transacted in the U.S. can be given to Zakat.

However, frankly, I don't believe that that stops it from happening. I'll bet you far more than 50% of Sharia-compliant financial transaction originating in the United States are, somewhere along the line, paying Zakat.

I have no proof though.

Damien said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Damien said...

Pastorius,

Where could you find evidence to back up you assertion though?

Pastorius said...

Damien,
Maybe you could tell me.

Here's how I suspect it would work.

1) Money is invested, by Americans (be they Muslim or non-Muslim) in a Sharia-compliant investment.

2) America's laws (according to Alyssa Lappen) dictate that Zakat may not be paid out of these investments.

3) However, American laws can not dictate what can happen when money is invested in overseas accounts, bonds, business, etc.

4) So, I suspect, a portion of the Sharia-compliant investments would be invested in businesses and bonds from countries which would allow the paying of Zakat.

Now, do you have any idea how I could track down such activity?

I am certainly not a Finance expert.

Damien said...

Pastorius,

I'm no financial expert either, and I don't know where to start. That's why I was asking you. I knew you were not a finance expert either, but I thought that maybe you might at least have an idea. Since I was coming up completely blank.

Pastorius said...

I sent the question and the comments to a friend of mine who seems to be pretty sharp on the economy.

Let's see what he says.