The Weaponization of Holocaust Memory: Narrowing “Never Again” to Silence Critique of Israel

The Holocaust, one of the most devastating atrocities in human history,
claimed the lives of millions and left an indelible mark on global
consciousness. Its remembrance, enshrined in the phrase “Never Again,”
was intended to be a universal call to prevent genocide and protect all
peoples from systematic annihilation. However, as the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to unfold, Holocaust memory has
been increasingly narrowed to focus solely on Jewish victimhood,
weaponized to smear and silence legitimate critique of Israel’s actions.
This article explores four critical points that illuminate this
troubling trend: the Zionist tendency to equate Palestinians with Nazis,
the sidelining of other Holocaust victims, Jewish collaboration during
the Holocaust, and the flourishing of the Zionist project amidst the
genocide. These dynamics reveal how “Never Again” has been distorted
from a universal principle into a shield for Israeli policies,
undermining its original intent.

1. Zionists Calling Palestinians and Their Supporters Nazis

A pervasive tactic in Zionist discourse is to label Palestinians and
their supporters as Nazis, drawing on historical narratives to
delegitimize their cause. A notable example is the claim that Haj Amin
al-Husseini, the Mufti of Jerusalem, incited Adolf Hitler to commit the
Holocaust—a narrative amplified by figures like Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu in 2015. Despite historical evidence showing the
“Final Solution” was underway by mid-1941, before the Mufti’s meeting
with Hitler in November of that year, this claim persists as a
rhetorical tool. Contemporary Israeli rhetoric often reinforces this
narrative through dehumanizing language, portraying Palestinians as an
existential threat akin to the Third Reich. Such rhetoric justifies
extreme measures—like sieges and aid blockades—while smearing critics of
Israel’s policies as Nazi sympathizers, stifling legitimate critique
under the weight of Holocaust memory.

2. Jews Were Not the Only Victims of the Holocaust

The Holocaust targeted not only Jews but also Roma, homosexuals, people
with disabilities, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and other groups deemed
“undesirable” by the Nazi regime. Estimates suggest 200,000–500,000 Roma
were killed in the Porajmos, up to 15,000 homosexuals were sent to
concentration camps, and 200,000–250,000 people with disabilities were
murdered under the T4 euthanasia program. Yet, mainstream Holocaust
remembrance often centers exclusively on Jewish victimhood. This
narrowing sidelines the suffering of other groups, limiting the
universal application of “Never Again.”

This selective memory has profound implications for the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict. By framing the Holocaust as a uniquely
Jewish tragedy, the narrative prioritizes Jewish security—embodied in
the state of Israel—over the rights of other oppressed groups, including
Palestinians. Policies like sieges and aid blockades create humanitarian
crises for Palestinians, yet their suffering is often ignored in
narratives that prioritize Jewish security. If “Never Again” truly meant
preventing genocide for all, it would apply to Palestinians facing such
conditions, but the narrowed focus on Jewish victimhood excludes their
suffering from this moral framework.

3. Jews Were Not Only Victims but Also Perpetrators

The narrative of Jews as solely victims of the Holocaust is complicated
by historical evidence of Jewish collaboration with Nazi systems, often
driven by survival or pragmatism. Approximately 150,000 men of Jewish
descent—60,000 “half-Jews” and 90,000 “quarter-Jews”—served in the
Wehrmacht, some receiving high honors like the Knight’s Cross, often
with Hitler’s explicit consent.
Many joined to avoid persecution or protect their families, navigating a
brutal system that discriminated against them (e.g., bans on promotions
for “half-Jews”). Similarly, the 1933 Haavara Agreement between Nazi
Germany and Zionist organizations allowed 60,000 Jews to emigrate to
Palestine with $100 million (equivalent to $2 billion today), breaking
the international Jewish boycott of German goods and indirectly
supporting the Nazi economy.

This collaboration parallels the Mufti’s actions, which are often cited
to blame Palestinians for the Holocaust. The Mufti sought Nazi support
to counter British and Zionist forces, much like the Haavara Agreement
prioritized Jewish emigration over broader resistance. Yet, only the
Mufti’s collaboration is weaponized to indict all Palestinians, while
Jewish involvement is treated as an exception. This double standard is
evident in contemporary policies: Israel perpetrates actions—such as aid
blockades and sieges—that harm Palestinian civilians. The irony is
stark: a state founded on “Never Again” engages in policies that mirror
the collective punishment tactics it condemns, revealing how Holocaust
memory is used to shield Israel from critique while smearing
Palestinians as Nazi-like aggressors.

4. The Zionist Project Flourished Under the Holocaust

The Holocaust significantly accelerated the Zionist project of
establishing a Jewish state in Palestine, often at the expense of the
Palestinian population.
The Haavara Agreement facilitated the emigration of 60,000 Jews and
transferred substantial funds, strengthening the demographic and
economic base for a future Israel. Between 1931 and 1945, the Jewish
population in Palestine grew from 174,610 to 553,600, largely due to
refugees fleeing Nazi persecution. Diplomatically, the Holocaust
galvanized international support for a Jewish state, culminating in the
1947 UN Partition Plan and Israel’s establishment in 1948. This came at
a cost: the Nakba displaced 700,000 Palestinians, a direct consequence
of the Zionist project’s success amidst the Holocaust.

This historical trajectory continues to impact Palestinians, as seen in
policies like sieges and aid blockades, which create unlivable
conditions and perpetuate displacement. Palestinians often describe
themselves as the “final victims” of the Nazis, bearing the consequences
of European guilt over the Holocaust through their own dispossession.
The Mufti narrative further justifies this treatment by framing
Palestinians as a historical threat, silencing critique of Israel’s
actions by invoking Holocaust memory. The success of Zionism, rooted in
the Holocaust, thus becomes a tool to deflect accountability for
contemporary policies, narrowing “Never Again” to mean protection for
Jews alone, rather than a universal stand against genocide.

Conclusion: Reclaiming the True Meaning of “Never Again”

Holocaust memory, intended as a universal call to prevent genocide, has
been narrowed to focus on Jewish victimhood and weaponized to smear and
silence legitimate critique of Israel’s actions. The Zionist tendency to
equate Palestinians with Nazis, the sidelining of other Holocaust
victims, the double standard in addressing Jewish collaboration, and the
historical flourishing of Zionism at the expense of Palestinians all
contribute to this distortion.
Contemporary policies—such as sieges and aid blockades—demonstrate how
this narrowed memory justifies Palestinian suffering while shielding
Israel from accountability.

“Never Again” was meant to mean never again genocide, not never again
Jews as victims. Its original intent was to protect all peoples from
systematic annihilation, regardless of identity. By reclaiming this
universal principle, we can broaden Holocaust memory to include all
victims—Jews, Roma, homosexuals, and others—and extend its moral lessons
to address contemporary atrocities, including those faced by
Palestinians. Only then can we honor the true spirit of “Never Again,”
fostering a dialogue that acknowledges interconnected traumas and seeks
justice for all, rather than perpetuating division through the
weaponization of history.