Judaism and Zionism on the frontlines of dangerous discourse

Following the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre in Israel, a dangerous discourse has emerged, particularly in the United Kingdom, characterized by "Oct. 7 revisionism and genocide inversion." This trend, observed by Israeli writer Shany Mor, involves opponents of Israel intensifying their denunciations of the Jewish state, rather than tempering them, as a way to reconcile the atrocities with their pre-existing belief that "Israel is evil, and that no Palestinian action is ever connected to any Palestinian outcome."

• Inversion: The October 7 massacre is framed as a footnote, while accusations of Israeli "genocide" or "ethnic cleansing" become the central narrative. The Guardian, for instance, published numerous pieces accusing Israel of these actions even before its ground invasion of Gaza.
• Disappearing Hamas: There is a lack of coverage on Hamas's decisions and moral responsibility for the massacre and the subsequent suffering of Gazan civilians. The narrative often portrays Palestinians as passive victims of Israel, ignoring Hamas's destructive actions and its charter, which calls for Israel's destruction and the murder of Jews.
• Soft Justification: The massacre is contextualized by citing a "78 years of occupation" or the mantra "Oct. 7 didn't happen in a vacuum," implicitly justifying the atrocities. Some journalists have argued that Hamas had "few other choices" than to embark on mass murder.
• Accusing Jews or Israel of exploiting Oct. 7: This narrative suggests that Israel uses the trauma of Oct. 7 to garner sympathy or further oppress Palestinians, aligning with antisemitic tropes of Jews having ulterior motives.

This post-October 7 discourse, reminiscent of Holocaust denial and distortion, represents a significant and concerning trend in the West.