Holocaust inversion

Holocaust inversion refers to the false comparison of Israel – the only Jewish state – to Nazi Germany against the fact that Jews were the victims of the Holocaust.^[1]

The World Jewish Congress notes that Holocaust inversion tends to come in the following forms:^[2]

Portraying Jews as Nazis
Comparing Israeli prime ministers to Hitler and portraying the Star of David as equal to the swastika
Images showing Anne Frank wearing a keffiyeh^[3]
Comparing the Nakba to the Holocaust
Comparing the Gaza Strip to Jewish ghettos during the Holocaust

Antisemitic poster spotted at an allegedly anti-war rally in San Francisco on February 16, 2003, which incorporated both the motifs of "happy merchant Jews" and "Zio-Nazis". The slur *ZIONIST PIGS*^[4]was also used.

Antisemitic graffiti in Madrid, 2003, equating the Star of David with the dollar and Nazi swastika.

Reception

Holocaust inversion is antisemitic under the definition of antisemitism^[5] of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), an authoritative intergovernmental organization on the history of antisemitism and the Holocaust.^[5] It is also a form of Holocaust trivialization,^[1] considered by some as akin to Holocaust denial due to its undertones of erasing the Jewish historical victimhood and whitewashing the worst Jewish genocide ever happened.^[1]

Meanwhile, IHRA's definition of antisemitism has been adopted by the World Jewish Congress,^[5] American Jewish Committee,^[6] European Commission,^[7]^[8] British Labour Party^[9], British Liberal Democrats etc.^[10] French philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy deemed Holocaust inversion a devious form of incitement to antisemitic violence,^[11]

[...] a mass movement demanding the deaths of Jews will be unlikely to yell "Money Jews" or "They Killed Christ." [...] for such a movement to emerge, for people to feel once again [...] the right to burn all the synagogues they want, to attack boys wearing yarmulkes, to harass large number of rabbis [...] an entirely new discourse way of justifying it must emerge.

Yossi Klein Halevi, the author of The New York Times bestseller Letters to My Palestinian Neighbour, considered the trope a variant of an old dehumanizing image of Jews:^[12]

The deepest source of anti-Israel animus^[13] is the symbolization of the Jew as embodiment of evil. The satanic Jew has been replaced by the satanic Jewish state. [...] The end of the post-Holocaust era is expressed most starkly in the inversion of the Holocaust. [... .]

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2
- Klaff, Lesley (2014). "Holocaust Inversion and contemporary antisemitism". Fathom Journal. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
- "Holocaust inversion is going mainstream". Jewish News Syndicate. August 15, 2024. Retrieved October 24, 2024. The point, of course, is to legitimize violence against Jews.
- "Magnifying glass
  Debunking Misconceptions About the Definition of Antisemitism". World Jewish Congress. Retrieved October 23, 2024. Those who hate Jews can no longer hide behind empty rhetoric
↑
- "Antisemitism defined: Why drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to the Nazis is antisemitic". World Jewish Congress. January 25, 2022. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
- Major "Anti-Semitic Motifs in Arab Cartoons" Archived 17 May 2007 at the Wayback Machine. An Interview with Joël Kotek. Jewish Council for Public Affairs. Post-Holocaust and Anti-Semitism. No. 21. 1 June 2004.
- Gerstenfeld, Manfred (1 November 2005). "The Twenty-first-century Total War Against Israel and the Jews". Post-Holocaust and Anti-Semitism (38). Jerusalem: Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs.
↑ A headdress worn by Arab men, consisting of a square of fabric fastened by a band round the crown of the head. Oxford Languages.
↑ A modified variant of the medieval European antisemitic slur Jewish pigs, later popularized by Martin Luther in the 16th century.
↑ ^5.0 ^5.1 ^5.2
"Working Definition Of Antisemitism". World Jewish Congress. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism :
- Calling for, aiding, or justifying the killing or harming of Jews in the name of a radical ideology or an extremist view of religion.
- Making mendacious, dehumanizing, demonizing, or stereotypical allegations about Jews as such or the power of Jews as collective — such as, especially but not exclusively, the myth about a world Jewish conspiracy or of Jews controlling the media, economy, government or other societal institutions.
- Accusing Jews as a people of being responsible for real or imagined wrongdoing committed by a single Jewish person or group, or even for acts committed by non-Jews.
- Denying the fact, scope, mechanisms (e.g. gas chambers) or intentionality of the genocide of the Jewish people at the hands of National Socialist Germany and its supporters and accomplices during World War II (the Holocaust).
- Accusing the Jews as a people, or Israel as a state, of inventing or exaggerating the Holocaust.
- Accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel, or to the alleged priorities of Jews worldwide, than to the interests of their own nations.
- Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor.
- Applying double standards by requiring of it a behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation.
- Using the symbols and images associated with classic antisemitism (e.g., claims of Jews killing Jesus or blood libel) to characterize Israel or Israelis.
- Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis.
- Holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel.
↑ "The Working Definition of Antisemitism". American Jewish Committee. Retrieved October 23, 2024. [...] American Jewish Committee (AJC) was involved in the original drafting of the definition 14 years ago and continues to urge European governments to adopt it.
↑ Primary executive arm of the European Union (EU).
↑ "Definition of antisemitism". European Commission. Retrieved October 23, 2024. The non-legally binding working definition of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) is an essential tool for the Commission's work on tackling antisemitism. The Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) survey among Jewish Europeans shows that the examples in the definition reflect what the vast majority perceives as antisemitic. The Commission considers the victims' perspective as an important starting point in tackling all forms of racism and hatred.
The Commission recommends the IHRA definition as a useful tool, in particular for education and training purposes for teachers, NGOs, state authorities and the media in line with the 2022 Council Conclusions on combating racism and antisemitism and the 2018 EU Council declaration on combating antisemitism. To this date, 25 EU Member States have adopted or endorsed the IHRA working definition of antisemitism.
↑ "Labour's Antisemitism Policy". Labour Party (UK). Retrieved October 23, 2024. Labour is an anti-racist party. Antisemitism is racism. It is unacceptable in our Party and in wider society. To assist in understanding what constitutes antisemitism, the NEC has endorsed the definition produced by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) in 2016.
↑
"Antisemitism". Liberal Democrats (UK). Retrieved October 23, 2024.
In a meeting of the Federal Board of the Liberal Democrats on 4 September 2018 the Federal Board confirmed by majority:
- that the Liberal Democrats would formally adopted, and would continue to use, the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (“IHRA”) Working Definition of Antisemitism (the “Antisemitism Definition”) including all its worked examples; and
- although not formally adopted, in interpreting the Antisemitism Definition it is helpful to consider the additional clarifications to the Definition set out by the Home Affairs Select Committee in their 2016 Inquiry into Antisemitism Report (the “HASC Report Clarifications”).
↑
- Marcus, Kenneth L. (30 August 2010). Jewish Identity and Civil Rights in America. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-139-49119-8.
- "Denying the deniers: Q & A with Deborah Lipstadt". Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
- "It's Time to Take Bernard-Henri Lévy Seriously". Foreign Policy. 9 April 2021.
↑ Yossi Klein Halevi (October 10, 2024). "The End of the Post-Holocaust Era". Jewish Journal. Retrieved October 14, 2024. Oct. 7 shattered Israelis' faith that the state would protect them and shook American Jewry's sense of full social acceptance – but there is a way forward.
↑ Hostility or ill feeling. Oxford Languages.

[Analyses-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2
Klaff, Lesley (2014). "Holocaust Inversion and contemporary antisemitism". Fathom Journal. Retrieved October 24, 2024.

"Holocaust inversion is going mainstream". Jewish News Syndicate. August 15, 2024. Retrieved October 24, 2024. The point, of course, is to legitimize violence against Jews.

"Magnifying glass
Debunking Misconceptions About the Definition of Antisemitism". World Jewish Congress. Retrieved October 23, 2024. Those who hate Jews can no longer hide behind empty rhetoric

[2] Klaff, Lesley (2014). "Holocaust Inversion and contemporary antisemitism". Fathom Journal. Retrieved October 24, 2024.

[3] "Holocaust inversion is going mainstream". Jewish News Syndicate. August 15, 2024. Retrieved October 24, 2024. The point, of course, is to legitimize violence against Jews.

[4] "Magnifying glass
Debunking Misconceptions About the Definition of Antisemitism". World Jewish Congress. Retrieved October 23, 2024. Those who hate Jews can no longer hide behind empty rhetoric

[2] 
"Antisemitism defined: Why drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to the Nazis is antisemitic". World Jewish Congress. January 25, 2022. Retrieved October 24, 2024.

Major "Anti-Semitic Motifs in Arab Cartoons" Archived 17 May 2007 at the Wayback Machine. An Interview with Joël Kotek. Jewish Council for Public Affairs. Post-Holocaust and Anti-Semitism. No. 21. 1 June 2004.

Gerstenfeld, Manfred (1 November 2005). "The Twenty-first-century Total War Against Israel and the Jews". Post-Holocaust and Anti-Semitism (38). Jerusalem: Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs.

[6] "Antisemitism defined: Why drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to the Nazis is antisemitic". World Jewish Congress. January 25, 2022. Retrieved October 24, 2024.

[7] Major "Anti-Semitic Motifs in Arab Cartoons" Archived 17 May 2007 at the Wayback Machine. An Interview with Joël Kotek. Jewish Council for Public Affairs. Post-Holocaust and Anti-Semitism. No. 21. 1 June 2004.

[8] Gerstenfeld, Manfred (1 November 2005). "The Twenty-first-century Total War Against Israel and the Jews". Post-Holocaust and Anti-Semitism (38). Jerusalem: Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs.

[3] A headdress worn by Arab men, consisting of a square of fabric fastened by a band round the crown of the head. Oxford Languages.

[4] A modified variant of the medieval European antisemitic slur Jewish pigs, later popularized by Martin Luther in the 16th century.

[IHRA-5] 5.0 ^5.1 ^5.2 "Working Definition Of Antisemitism". World Jewish Congress. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism :
Calling for, aiding, or justifying the killing or harming of Jews in the name of a radical ideology or an extremist view of religion.

Making mendacious, dehumanizing, demonizing, or stereotypical allegations about Jews as such or the power of Jews as collective — such as, especially but not exclusively, the myth about a world Jewish conspiracy or of Jews controlling the media, economy, government or other societal institutions.

Accusing Jews as a people of being responsible for real or imagined wrongdoing committed by a single Jewish person or group, or even for acts committed by non-Jews.

Denying the fact, scope, mechanisms (e.g. gas chambers) or intentionality of the genocide of the Jewish people at the hands of National Socialist Germany and its supporters and accomplices during World War II (the Holocaust).

Accusing the Jews as a people, or Israel as a state, of inventing or exaggerating the Holocaust.

Accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel, or to the alleged priorities of Jews worldwide, than to the interests of their own nations.

Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor.

Applying double standards by requiring of it a behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation.

Using the symbols and images associated with classic antisemitism (e.g., claims of Jews killing Jesus or blood libel) to characterize Israel or Israelis.

Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis.

Holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel.

[12] Calling for, aiding, or justifying the killing or harming of Jews in the name of a radical ideology or an extremist view of religion.

[13] Making mendacious, dehumanizing, demonizing, or stereotypical allegations about Jews as such or the power of Jews as collective — such as, especially but not exclusively, the myth about a world Jewish conspiracy or of Jews controlling the media, economy, government or other societal institutions.

[14] Accusing Jews as a people of being responsible for real or imagined wrongdoing committed by a single Jewish person or group, or even for acts committed by non-Jews.

[15] Denying the fact, scope, mechanisms (e.g. gas chambers) or intentionality of the genocide of the Jewish people at the hands of National Socialist Germany and its supporters and accomplices during World War II (the Holocaust).

[16] Accusing the Jews as a people, or Israel as a state, of inventing or exaggerating the Holocaust.

[17] Accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel, or to the alleged priorities of Jews worldwide, than to the interests of their own nations.

[18] Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor.

[19] Applying double standards by requiring of it a behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation.

[20] Using the symbols and images associated with classic antisemitism (e.g., claims of Jews killing Jesus or blood libel) to characterize Israel or Israelis.

[21] Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis.

[22] Holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel.

[6] "The Working Definition of Antisemitism". American Jewish Committee. Retrieved October 23, 2024. [...] American Jewish Committee (AJC) was involved in the original drafting of the definition 14 years ago and continues to urge European governments to adopt it.

[7] Primary executive arm of the European Union (EU).

[8] "Definition of antisemitism". European Commission. Retrieved October 23, 2024. The non-legally binding working definition of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) is an essential tool for the Commission's work on tackling antisemitism. The Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) survey among Jewish Europeans shows that the examples in the definition reflect what the vast majority perceives as antisemitic. The Commission considers the victims' perspective as an important starting point in tackling all forms of racism and hatred.
The Commission recommends the IHRA definition as a useful tool, in particular for education and training purposes for teachers, NGOs, state authorities and the media in line with the 2022 Council Conclusions on combating racism and antisemitism and the 2018 EU Council declaration on combating antisemitism. To this date, 25 EU Member States have adopted or endorsed the IHRA working definition of antisemitism.

[9] "Labour's Antisemitism Policy". Labour Party (UK). Retrieved October 23, 2024. Labour is an anti-racist party. Antisemitism is racism. It is unacceptable in our Party and in wider society. To assist in understanding what constitutes antisemitism, the NEC has endorsed the definition produced by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) in 2016.

[10] "Antisemitism". Liberal Democrats (UK). Retrieved October 23, 2024.
In a meeting of the Federal Board of the Liberal Democrats on 4 September 2018 the Federal Board confirmed by majority:

that the Liberal Democrats would formally adopted, and would continue to use, the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (“IHRA”) Working Definition of Antisemitism (the “Antisemitism Definition”) including all its worked examples; and

although not formally adopted, in interpreting the Antisemitism Definition it is helpful to consider the additional clarifications to the Definition set out by the Home Affairs Select Committee in their 2016 Inquiry into Antisemitism Report (the “HASC Report Clarifications”).

[28] that the Liberal Democrats would formally adopted, and would continue to use, the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (“IHRA”) Working Definition of Antisemitism (the “Antisemitism Definition”) including all its worked examples; and

[29] though not formally adopted, in interpreting the Antisemitism Definition it is helpful to consider the additional clarifications to the Definition set out by the Home Affairs Select Committee in their 2016 Inquiry into Antisemitism Report (the “HASC Report Clarifications”).

[11] 
Marcus, Kenneth L. (30 August 2010). Jewish Identity and Civil Rights in America. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-139-49119-8.

"Denying the deniers: Q & A with Deborah Lipstadt". Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

"It's Time to Take Bernard-Henri Lévy Seriously". Foreign Policy. 9 April 2021.

[31] Marcus, Kenneth L. (30 August 2010). Jewish Identity and Civil Rights in America. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-139-49119-8.

[32] "Denying the deniers: Q & A with Deborah Lipstadt". Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

[33] "It's Time to Take Bernard-Henri Lévy Seriously". Foreign Policy. 9 April 2021.

[12] Yossi Klein Halevi (October 10, 2024). "The End of the Post-Holocaust Era". Jewish Journal. Retrieved October 14, 2024. Oct. 7 shattered Israelis' faith that the state would protect them and shook American Jewry's sense of full social acceptance – but there is a way forward.

[13] Hostility or ill feeling. Oxford Languages.

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Reception

See also

References