Open Letter: They Turned into Monsters

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In most narratives about the war in Gaza, the conflict is often misrepresented regarding its origins. The war did not start in Gaza. It began on October 7, fifty years after Egypt and Syria launched an attack on Israel. On this day, Palestinian Hamas terrorists committed an unimaginable massacre in Israel, recording their actions as if they were heroes and celebrating their bloodbath. Their celebrations extended back to Gaza, where they paraded severely abused hostages as war trophies to a jubilant Palestinian crowd. This macabre jubilation even spread to Berlin, where in the Neukölln district, people danced in the streets, and the Palestinian organization Samidoun distributed sweets. The internet buzzed with joyous comments.

 

 

The massacre claimed over 1,200 lives. After enduring torture, mutilation, and rape, 239 people were abducted. This massacre by Hamas represents a total collapse of civilization. There is an archaic horror in this bloodlust that seemed impossible in modern times. This atrocity follows the historical pattern of pogroms aimed at annihilating Jews, a pattern the Jewish people have endured for centuries. This is why the entire country is traumatized; the state of Israel was founded to protect against such pogroms. Until October 7, this protection was believed to be secure, despite Hamas's persistent threat since 1987. The Hamas founding charter explicitly stated that the destruction of Jews was their goal, proclaiming that "death for God is our noblest wish."

 

 

Despite some changes to this charter over time, it remains clear that Hamas's objectives are unchanged: the destruction of Jews and Israel. This goal mirrors that of Iran, where the destruction of Jews has been state doctrine since 1979. When discussing Hamas's terror, Iran must be included in the conversation. Iran finances, arms, and uses Hamas as a henchman. Both regimes are merciless dictatorships that become more radical over time. Iran's government, dominated by hardliners, operates as a ruthless, expansionist military dictatorship disguised as a theocracy. Political Islam, as practiced in Iran, entails contempt for humanity, public floggings, death sentences, and executions in the name of God. Iran's war obsession coexists with the pretense of not building nuclear weapons, despite evidence of a clandestine nuclear program since 2002. Iran’s aim for nuclear deterrence, following North Korea's example, is a frightening prospect for Israel and the world.

 

 

The obsession with war between Iran and Hamas transcends the religious divide between Shiites and Sunnis, subordinating everything else to this focus. The population is kept in poverty while the wealth of Hamas leaders, such as Ismael Haniyeh in Qatar, increases immeasurably. For the general population, martyrdom is all that remains. Hamas has driven out all other political factions from Gaza with incredible brutality, establishing an unchallenged dictatorship since Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2007. Hamas turned Gaza into a military fortress with tunnels beneath hospitals, schools, and kindergartens, funded by the international community. Gaza has become a military barracks, a deep state of anti-Semitism.

 

The Israeli army was forced into this trap in response to October 7, compelled to defend itself and inadvertently causing civilian casualties. This inevitability is precisely what Hamas wanted and is exploiting. Hamas controls the news from Gaza, manipulating images to garner global sympathy while presenting itself as the Palestinians' sole defender. This cynical calculation has paid off. Since October 7, I am reminded repeatedly of Christopher R. Browning's book, *Ganz Normale Männer*, which recounts the annihilation of Jewish villages in Poland by Reserve Police Battalion 101 before the large gas chambers of Auschwitz existed. The brutal slaughter of 1,500 Jews in the village of Józefów mirrors the bloodlust seen in Hamas's attack on the Israeli music festival and kibbutzim. These were ordinary men who turned into monsters, similar to the Hamas terrorists.

 

The massacre of October 7 evokes the memory of the Shoah because Hamas intended it to. They sought to demonstrate that Israel is not a guarantee for Jewish survival, challenging the state's legitimacy. Symbols like the red triangle from the Palestinian flag, reminiscent of Nazi concentration camps, are used in Hamas videos and graffiti in Berlin, calling for violence and marking targets. The hatred of Jews has infiltrated Berlin's nightlife, with anti-Semitic sentiments now pervasive even in supposedly inclusive spaces.

 

I lived under a dictatorship for over thirty years and believed that Western democracy could not be similarly questioned. However, I am appalled that young people in the West seem confused, unable to distinguish between democracy and dictatorship, and unaware of their freedoms. It is absurd that LGBTQ+ individuals demonstrate for Hamas, ignoring that Palestinian culture punishes homosexuality severely. The irony of such demonstrations is highlighted by David Leatherwood’s satirical comparison of supporting Palestine as a queer person to supporting Kentucky Fried Chicken as a chicken.

 

American university students who chant pro-Hamas slogans also demonstrate a lack of understanding. Their actions are often devoid of historical context, and the massacre of October 7 is disregarded. This ignorance and misrepresentation of events are troubling, indicating a failure to critically engage with complex issues. Influencers and social media have played a significant role in shaping these misguided perspectives, promoting simplistic and often harmful views.

 

The hostility faced by the Oberhausen Short Film Festival director Lars Henrik Gass, who called for solidarity with Israel, exemplifies the regression in political debate. Instead of nuanced discussions, there is an esoteric, conformist understanding of politics. It is now challenging to stand up for Israel's right to exist while also criticizing its government. Hamas’s manipulation of global outrage over Gaza’s suffering is part of its strategy, aiming to isolate Israel and maintain anti-Semitism as a global sentiment.

 

Hamas wants to reinterpret the Shoah, questioning the legitimacy of Israel and the Jewish people’s right to self-defense. The Jewish poet Yehuda Amichai’s words resonate deeply in this context. Paul Celan’s visit to Israel and his poignant letter to Amichai underscore the importance of Israel’s existence for the Jewish people.

 

Herta Müller
The writer and Nobel Prize winner read this text at the October 7 Forum of "Jewish Culture in Sweden" 

 

Credit: TOME 2024-06-17

 

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[Neeranam]

On 6/17/2024 at 3:33 AM, Social Media said:

In most narratives about the war in Gaza, the conflict is often misrepresented regarding its origins. The war did not start in Gaza. It began on October 7,

I totally disagree with this woman, extremely biased. 

To disregard what happened before Oct 7 is simply wrong. 

 

https://www.jewishvoiceforlabour.org.uk/article/countdown-to-genocide-history-did-not-begin-on-october-7/

[Bkk Brian]

1 hour ago, Neeranam said:

I totally disagree with this woman, extremely biased. 

To disregard what happened before Oct 7 is simply wrong. 

 

https://www.jewishvoiceforlabour.org.uk/article/countdown-to-genocide-history-did-not-begin-on-october-7/

The war did start on Oct 7th though, with thousands of terrorists and civilians entering Israel to carry out rape, murder, torture and kidnapping along with thousands of their rockets. That is a fact. YOU are the one who is extremely bias not seeing that. Although it was an event that was not in a vacuum, no previous grievances by Palestinians could ever justify such a horrendous act of terrorist atrocities.

[Jeff the Chef]

Israeli army investigation suggests many 7 October casualties caused by friendly fire
The findings of the Israeli report are consistent with the results of a UN inquiry earlier this month.

During the operation to counter Hamas-led forces that broke into southern Israel, there were "multiple incidents of our forces firing on our forces," according to the investigation, as reported by Israeli outlet N12.

The investigation comes as evidence continues to mount of some Israeli deaths on 7 October being caused - both intentionally and unintentionally - by their own forces.

 

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israeli-army-investigation-suggests-many-7-october-casualties-caused-friendly-fire

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Open Letter: They Turned into Monsters