Joemar Yubokmee

The United Nations General Assembly designated January 27 as the International Holocaust Remembrance Day. This commemoration coincides with almost four months of asymmetrical warfare against Palestine, where at least 27,019 Palestinians were killed in Gaza, and over two million people in need of humanitarian aid. This commemoration not only remembers the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust but also the millions of Palestinians who, like the Jews during World War II, were oppressed and persecuted.
Cartoon by Alex Macatuno
During World War II, the Auschwitz camp complex, the largest of its kind, played a pivotal role in executing the Nazi's Final Solution plan. Positioned in German-occupied Poland, Auschwitz comprised three camps, with one designated as a killing center. Notably infamous in the annals of the Holocaust, Auschwitz stood out from other Nazi killing centers due to its combination of a concentration camp and a labor camp, alongside the presence of expansive gas chambers and crematoria at Birkenau, expressly constructed for the mass extermination of European Jews.
 
The Auschwitz complex witnessed the tragic demise of over 1.1 million individuals, among whom nearly one million were Jews. Those not immediately sent to the gas chambers faced selection for forced labor, underscoring the systematic brutality and dehumanization inflicted upon countless innocent lives within the confines of Auschwitz.
 
The forced labor and deportation of European Jews within the concentration camps exemplify the inherently fascist and colonial nature of the Nazi regime's atrocities. Rooted in a supremacist ideology, fascist Germany sought to consolidate power through oppressive control and the elimination of perceived racial or ethnic threats. 
 
Moreover, the mass displacement and exploitation of Jewish populations mirror colonial practices, as the Nazis sought to assert dominion over territories and subject people to subjugation based on their discriminatory beliefs. The concentration camps became emblematic of a dark blend of fascist authoritarianism and colonialist ambitions, illustrating a brutal convergence that aimed to erase entire communities and perpetrate unimaginable suffering.
 
In parallel to the historical persecution of the Jewish people, the contemporary plight of Palestinians, particularly in Gaza, echoes the characteristics of fascism and colonialism. The ongoing genocide perpetrated against Gaza reveals a stark resemblance to the oppressive tactics employed in historical instances of colonial aggression. 
 
The ongoing intense Israeli bombardment from air, land, and sea in much of the Gaza Strip exhibits fascist tendencies, inflicting severe civilian casualties, mass displacement, and extensive destruction. This brutal campaign, marked by ground operations and clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups, further exacerbates the already dire humanitarian situation. The assault not only undermines the basic principles of proportionality and distinction in warfare but also raises concerns about the war crimes committed by Israel. 
 
Furthermore, the precarious state of healthcare in Gaza, with only 14 out of 36 hospitals partially functional as of 25 January, reflects a deliberate assault on essential infrastructure. Reports of heavy fighting around hospitals in Khan Younis, such as Nasser and Al-Amal, not only endanger medical personnel and the injured but also put thousands of internally displaced persons seeking refuge at these facilities at grave risk. The reported incidents of the Israeli military storming hospital courtyards, opening fire and targeting ambulances on February 1 further underscore the disregard for humanitarian norms, perpetuating a fascist approach that disregards the sanctity of medical facilities and compounds the suffering of the civilian population.
 
Israel's restrictive measures in Gaza, implemented since 2007, effectively transformed the strip into an open-air prison, subjecting over two million residents to severe limitations on movement, hindering their pursuit of opportunities within Palestine, and restricting travel abroad through Israel. Furthermore, Israel's prevention of Palestinian authorities from operating an airport or seaport in Gaza, coupled with strict controls on the entry and exit of goods, is affecting and infringing on the rights of Palestinians to freedom of movement and sustaining a quality life. Denying Palestinians in Gaza the right to work, pursue education, and engage in international travel echoes the systematic suppression and deprivation seen in past instances of colonial rule.
 
The Nakba disaster reflects the colonialist culture that resulted in the demise of the Palestine-established way of life. The expulsion of no fewer than 700,000 Palestinians from their homes and country upon the establishment of Israel represents a deliberate and forceful uprooting of an indigenous population. The destruction of between 400 and 600 Palestinian villages symbolizes the erasure of communities and their histories, akin to colonial practices aimed at reshaping territories to fit the colonizer's vision. The seizure of homes from 250,000 to 300,000 Palestinians before May 1948 exemplifies the systematic dispossession that rendered them stateless, echoing the historical plight of pre-1948 Jewish individuals who found themselves without a homeland. 
 
The liberation of Auschwitz on January 27, 1945, serves as a poignant moment in history, marking the Soviet army's entry into Auschwitz, Birkenau, and Monowitz to rescue approximately seven thousand prisoners, many of whom were already gravely ill or dying. The declaration of International Holocaust Remembrance Day is grounded in the recognition of this event, symbolizing a commitment to remembering the horrors of the Holocaust and preventing such atrocities from occurring again. Alas, history has repeated itself on the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, where the West's unwavering support for Israel and its actions against the Palestinian people perpetuates suffering and injustice. 
 
The asymmetrical warfare and fascist tactics employed by Israel, backed by powerful Western nations, distance the world from addressing the root causes of the conflict. The parallel drawn between the brutal colonization, attacks, and oppression faced by Palestinians and the historical plight of six million Jews left to be deported, enslaved, and killed in concentration camps serves as a stark warning. Without a concerted effort to halt the cycle of violence and address the underlying issues, the genocide of Palestine is becoming a dark echo of past atrocities. As the world collectively remembers the horrors of the holocaust, we stand up with Palestine.