By SETH J. FRANTZMAN
The pro-Hitler tweets coming from Pakistani social media users were just one instance in a deluge of anti-Jewish sentiments expressed online and in rallies around the world over the last week.
A swastika, one of the many pro-Nazi symbols used among Pakistanis who hate Israeli and claim to support Palestinians, was spotted by social media users at a rally in Pakistan. Pakistan has strict blasphemy laws and its leader Imran Khan often complains about “Islamophobia” in the West, but does not condemn pro-Nazi expressions or hatred of Jews.The pro-Hitler tweets in Pakistan were just one instance in a deluge of anti-Jewish sentiments expressed online and in rallies around the world.Adeel Raja, a freelance contributor who had written for CNN in the past, wrote that “the world needs a Hitler,” in a recent tweet. When CNN cut ties with him over the tweet, which was exposed on Sunday, Raja complained that a “single tweet contributed to the Palestine cause and brought it to the limelight with me losing [sic] my job.” He complained that the West supposedly supports freedom of expression and human rights but that he lost his work because of his pro-Hitler tweets.
Apparently this wasn’t the first pro-Hitler tweet from him, and in 2014 he had tweeted a similar sentiment, saying that “Hitler did good with those Jews.”
Pakistani actress Veena Malik also tweeted support for Hitler. She posted a quote on Twitter, claiming Hitler had said “I would have killed all the Jews of the world, but I kept some to show the world why I killed them.” Twitter removed the tweet but some screenshots of it can still be found online. Some users pointed out the hypocrisy whereby her tweet was removed but her account was not suspended. Apparently pro-Hitler tweets are not a red line on social media.
Oddly some Pakistani activists, such as opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif, also claim that Israel is like a Nazi state because of its treatment of Palestinians. Sharif even tweeted “Israeli Prime Minister is today’s Hitler.”
It’s unclear how, on the one hand some can praise Hitler and on the other also claim Israel is like the Nazis. This inconsistency is common among countries where the Muslim Brotherhood is supported, from Turkey to Malaysia and Pakistan, Qatar and Hamas-run Gaza. In those places Holocaust denial, as well as claims that Israel is like the Nazis, and praise for the Nazis, is often common. This three sided contradictory logic denies that the main crime of the Nazis ever took place, but critiques Israel for committing that crime, and then praises the crime. It makes not sense, but then, antisemitism often makes no sense.
In another pro-Hitler tweet a Pakistani who claimed to be an engineer said that “Jews are not humans, they are animals,” a quote the user ascribed to Hitler. Like the quote tweeted by Malik, it was not clear if Hitler even said this. It would appear that Pakistan is awash with fake Hitler quotes. Another man claiming to be Pakistani said he wanted to “repeat the colorful story of Holocaust, respect to Hitler.”
Since the recent conflict began there have been many other social media posts praising Hitler, with one person pointing out that in India there are some who claim to admire Hitler, but also support Hitler and engage in holocaust denial, another contradiction among south Asia social media users.
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/pakistani-celebrities-tweet-holocaust-denial-praise-for-hitler-668365
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