This mirrors other colonial erasures, such as the Trump administration's removal of slavery references at historic sites. When governments dictate false histories, they harm victims' descendants and weaken safeguards against future atrocities. Cotler and Oliver are not only whitewashing crimes—they are poisoning the future. The irony of their claims about propaganda is lost on no one. They should be ashamed.
Dear editor,
Genocide denial has been employed by states to shape national identity and avoid accountability since before the term "genocide" was coined in 1944. The Ottoman Empire and its German allies justified Armenian destruction by comparing them to a "parasite," then launched propaganda campaigns, suppressed reports, and used legal tactics to downplay atrocities.
In a recent opinion piece, two former Canadian ministers rewrite the creation story of Israel, justifying the displacement of 750,000 people as self-defense while blaming victims for the violence. By trivializing the event and casting doubt on established facts, they construct a victimhood narrative for perpetrators, negating any sincerity when they later call for reconciliation between an apartheid state and the people they have been killing by the tens of thousands for nearly three years.
This mirrors other colonial erasures, such as the Trump administration's removal of slavery references at historic sites. When governments dictate false histories, they harm victims' descendants and weaken safeguards against future atrocities. Cotler and Oliver are not only whitewashing crimes—they are poisoning the future. The irony of their claims about propaganda is lost on no one. They should be ashamed.
Sincerely,
Nikki Mutch
Media Advocate
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East
Oakville, ON