cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/14910832
Thoughts on the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and the 07 October
Reading these reports on the German reaction to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising makes me aware on how the occupiers feel about rebellions and why the rebels fight even though they will die:
Right after the uprising,
Loudspeakers warned Warsaw’s inhabitants that “bandits” were operating against the Nazi government and cautioned that any civilian found on the street would be fired upon.
Today you change "bandits" for "terrorists". Main lesson is that even though you are the invader, you still feel disgusted by the invaded "unrespectful" idea of challenging you.
*The uprising was the largest single revolt by Jews during World War II. The Jews knew that victory was impossible and survival unlikely. Marek Edelman, the last surviving ŻOB commander who died in 2009, said their inspiration to fight was "not to allow the Germans alone to pick the time and place of our deaths". *
This also explains to me that even if Gazans knew they would be obliterated, the point is not to win, as this is impossible, but at least to die without being letting the oppressor has 100% control of all steps and timings of the processor. You fight to die and take 10% of the control over your death, on your terms.
More information also here:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warsaw_Ghetto_Uprising
The leader of the uprising, which survived, is also an anti-zionist:
Edelman was a lifelong anti-Zionist.[30][31][32] In a 1985 interview, he said Zionism was a "lost cause" and he questioned Israel's viability.[33] He remained firmly Polish, refusing to emigrate to Israel.[34] In his old age, Edelman spoke in defence of the Palestinian people, as he felt that the Jewish self-defence for which he had fought was in danger of crossing the line into oppression.[35] In August 2002, he wrote an open letter to the Palestinian resistance leaders. Although the letter criticised the Palestinian suicide attacks, its tone infuriated the Israeli government and press. According to the late British writer and activist Paul Foot, "He wrote [the letter] in a spirit of solidarity from a fellow resistance fighter, as a former leader of a Jewish uprising not dissimilar in desperation to the Palestinian uprising in the occupied territories."[36] He addressed his letter "To all the leaders of Palestinian military, paramilitary and guerrilla organizations – To all the soldiers of Palestinian militant groups."[37]
I just feel bad for the Gazans that didn't want to live and die as part of a war, but are surrounded by power-crazed madmen who see only "land". They have nowhere else they can possibly go, all roads are closed to them.
I don't think that they wanted to be part of the ethnic cleansing that was happening to them before the current round of genocidal massacre either.