IDF post on Holocaust Remembrance Day fails to mention Jews
A post on the IDF's English Facebook page mentioned the 11 million Holocaust victims, while failing to mention the six million Jews who perished, rousing infuriated responses on social networks; Following the criticism, the post was altered.
The IDF has been inundated with angry complaints following its post last Friday commemorating the International Holocaust Remembrance Day on its official Facebook page in English devoid of any mention of Jews who were liquidated in Hitler's Final Solution.
The post, uploaded by the IDF Spokesperson's Unit, neglected to mention the Jewish people in general, and the six million who perished in the Holocaust in particular, opting for a universal message instead: "11 million men, women, and children perished in the Holocaust. Share their stories and speak their names to keep their memory alive."
The post had a picture attached showing a Holocaust survivor displaying his arm tattoo with the caption: "We remember—International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2017."
State officials who saw the post said they couldn't believe anybody in the IDF had approved such a post: "No Jews are mentioned, only a general statement regarding the 11 million victims. Who is the insensitive person who composed this post? Where are the six million? This is the IDF's official Facebook page and this is what we convey to the world. It is very serious when the IDF assists in spreading such lies such as the removal of Jews from the Holocaust."
Following the criticism, the post was changed on Sunday, two days after the International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Now the post states: "11 million men, women, and children including 6 million Jews, perished in the Holocaust."
The Chairperson of the Center Organizations of Holocaust Survivors in Israel, Colette Avital stated in response, that "the International Holocaust Remembrance Day is first and foremost intended to remind the world of the Jewish people's Holocaust and what makes it unique. It is sad that the IDF, of all organizations, would not remember that. I call for the Chief Education Officer to impart the real messages to the soldiers."
The IDF spokesperson did not provide a comment. A military official said that "the post was written with the desire to commemorate the Holocaust's victims on the occasion of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day. This was an honest mistake and it was amended."
Incidentally, a similarly awkward situation occurred at the end of the week when the White House issued an statement also failing to mention the Jews. Trump's Communications' Director Hope Hicks explained that "in spite of media reports, we include everyone and have taken into consideration all those who suffered."
