This was featured in the Columbia Spectator on Monday, January 31, 2011.  It was collaboratively written by LionPAC members Michael Shapiro, Eric Schorr, Jonathan Huberman, and Seffi Kogen; Just Peace members Abby Shuster and Kevin Siegel, and Hillel’s Israel Coordinator, Matthew Jacobs.

“Holocaust” is a term heavy with emotion. Its mention evokes anger, sorrow, and confusion at the unthinkable actions that one group of human beings committed against another. We, the current and future generations of the world, must learn a lesson in memory of the 11 million people who died simply for being themselves. A Holocaust can never happen again—for anyone.

This very phrase, “Never Again for Anyone,” was the title of a recent lecture on campus hosted by Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine that was timed to coincide with International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The event sought to depict the State of Israel as the perpetrator of a modern Holocaust, a comparison that is not only based in fallacy, but one that is a hurtful disregard of both the political and social reality in the Middle East.

The Holocaust grew from hatred and bigotry, and represented an explicit attempt to exterminate minority groups. Israel, in contrast, is engaged in an ongoing political conflict, and its actions stem from a desire to defend itself in war and to protect its people–Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Baha’i, and Druze alike. Hitler’s infamous “Final Solution” was to systematically annihilate the Jewish people. Israel has never pursued a policy of genocide; the horrible fact that innocent Palestinians die is evidence of tragic casualties on both sides of any war.

This clear ideological discrepancy is readily apparent in Israeli policy, as the country takes great precautions to prevent the loss of innocent life. Beyond providing 1,025,686 tons of aid, Israel dropped over 2.5 million leaflets and made over 165,000 phone calls to Palestinians warning them to distance themselves from Hamas targets during Operation Cast Lead in December 2008 and January 2009. Furthermore, Israel has canceled many attacks against Hamas to avoid civilian casualties. While the Nazis were proud of their actions, Israel regrets the loss of human life.

The misuse of Holocaust terminology to advance a political agenda disgusts anyone working toward peace. Comparing the Nazi regime to the Israeli government desecrates the memories of millions of Holocaust victims. We condemn extremists on both sides for using the Holocaust as a tool either to defame Israel or justify its mistakes. Both circumstances are irresponsible and reprehensible misuses of a tragedy. The Holocaust was a blow to all humanity; misconstrued political posturing, as CSJP demonstrated, only extends the horror further into our time.

In the spirit of remembrance, sensitivity, and above all education, we call for dialogue. CSJP has consistently refused such gestures as a policy, but the void left by an absence of knowledge is too easily filled with wild speculation. The University community would be better served by collaboration between Hillel and CSJP than by the passive aggressive battle that ensues in its place. Together, we would be able to explore difficult, polarizing topics in a productive manner. Together, we could show the world the fruits of cooperation. Together, we could prevent baseless and hurtful events like the one that occurred here last week.