Editing the Jews out of the Holocaust – A Sick Joke or a Dangerous Trend?

According to ITV, When it Comes to the Holocaust, Jews are Just "Another Ethnic Group", Unworthy of a Mention

ITV Broadcast on Holocaust day

When I first saw it, I was sure someone was taking the piss. It had to be a joke, albeit a sick one. But no... On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, a day meant to mark the genocide and honour the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis, ITV chose to air a report that shockingly omitted any mention of the word "Jews. As Good Morning Britain’s host, Ranvir Singh was introducing a report from Auschwitz, on King Charles’ visit to the concentration camp, she informed viewers that, "Six million people were killed in concentration camps during the Second World War, as well as millions of others because they were Polish, disabled, gay, or belonged to another ethnic group."

The Poles were mentioned, and the disabled. The gay community also got a mention. But I couldn’t help feeling that something was missing. I wasn’t sure what she meant when referring to “another ethnic group”. I’m pretty sure that there were many victims of Nazi persecution and murder, who were not ethnically German, but there was definitely something missing. Then it hit me. Jews! She didn’t mention Jews. Perhaps it was a homage to Fawlty Towers, but instead of Basil being told, “don’t mention the war”, on this occasions, Ms Singh was told in no uncertain terms, “don’t mention the Jews”. 

Jews Do Count! 

Now, I would suggest that commemorating the Holocaust without mentioning Jews is not an error you can dismiss as easily done. It’s not a case of “oops, oh well, we’ve all done it.” 

British and Jewish comedian David Badiel came up with a bizarre rationalisation where he tweeted. Can you still say tweeted, or is it X’d, anyway, what he said was, “This is odd. I think it's not impossible that it's a result of the discomfort that surrounds the word Jew, it being a word that defines an ethnic identity but also one used as an insult. I suspect that might be why the newsreader or her scriptwriter somehow thought it better not to use it. They may have thought of this as a good intention, but it simply leads to erasure, specifically - considering all other groups targeted by the Nazis are mentioned - of Jews as a racially victimised entity.”

To Mr. Baddiel, as well intentioned as he may be, I say bollocks! 

I see this as a dangerous rationalisation, a rather desperate attempt to explain the inexplicable, and excuse the inexcusable. This from the man who told us that “Jews don’t count”. Well, he was right then. What the f*** is he up to now, when Jews are clearly not being counted?

When talking about the Holocaust, and introducing an outside broadcast from Auschwitz, where of the 1.1 million souls exterminated in the camp, circa 1 million men, women and children were Jews, you’re going to have to go to extreme lengths to avoid the word Jew.

But somehow ITV managed. This introduction to Holocaust Memorial Day, while appearing to acknowledge the victims of Nazi atrocities, is a glaring, problematic and highly offensive example of historical distortion. By failing to name Jews as the primary victims of the Holocaust, ITV not only misrepresents the central truth of the Nazi genocide but also contributes, and I expect wilfully, to a cynical and dangerous erasure of Jewish suffering.

The Centrality of Jews in the Holocaust

Just in case Ms Singh, her editor, and their entire team forgot to do their homework, the Holocaust was a systematic, industrial-scale effort by the Nazis to annihilate the Jewish people. It was the deliberate attempt to wipe out an entire people, a genocide that claimed the lives of six million Jews, including 1.5 million children. While other groups, such as Poles, the disabled, Romani people, and homosexuals, were also targeted, the genocide of the Jews was unique in its scope and intent. To omit this fact, be it wilfully or otherwise, is to fundamentally distort the nature of the Holocaust itself.

I always considered my self a Jew, not as “another ethnic group”. Any, in fact all anti-Semitic experiences I have had (not too many, I’m glad to say), always seemed to focus on my “Jewishness” not my “ethnic otherness”. 

The language used by Ms. Singh frames the genocide as a vague tragedy impacting all kinds of victims, including, "another ethnic group". It purposely ignores the undeniable reality that Jews were the primary and intended victims of the Holocaust. This is not a minor oversight! It’s a betrayal of historical truth, of journalistic integrity, and an insult to the memory of those who perished, as well as those who victims who suffered so terribly, yet survived the carnage.

Denial, Distortion & Erasure

These omissions and gross generalisations are symptomatic of a broader trend of Holocaust distortion, and the attempt to obscure the targeted genocide of Jews. This plays into the hands of those who seek to revise history and ultimately deny the unique nature of the Holocaust.

It’s no coincidence that this occurs in the wake of the October 7th massacre by Hamas, the greatest and most brutal slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust, and the ongoing war in Gaza. Anti-Israel sentiment, fuelled by false accusations of genocide and war crimes in Gaza, has seeped into newsrooms and media narratives. The same biases that lead to distorted reporting on Israel now extend to Holocaust remembrance, creating a dangerous moral equivalence and offensive comparisons between the Holocaust and the conflict in Gaza.

For the record, there is no genocide in Gaza! There is a war. Is Israel perfect in this war? No, but a long, long way away from anything approaching genocide. Gaza was never a “concentration camp”! The accusations and comparisons are pure propaganda and the result of a well financed and well organised campaign by bad actors to demonize and delegitimise the Jewish State.

The Holocaust was a deliberate, industrialized effort to exterminate the Jewish people. Drawing comparisons between this genocide and the military conflict in Gaza, where Hamas uses civilians as human shields and Israel implements unprecedented measures to minimise civilian casualties, is not only misleading but deeply offensive. Such false equivalence denies the unique suffering of Holocaust victims while distorting the realities, as brutal and horrible as they are, of contemporary urban warfare, and the undoubted suffering of ordinary Palestinians as they are brutalized, exploited and sacrificed by Hamas and PIJ.

A Hollow Non Apology

Following widespread criticism, ITV and Ms Singh issued an apology in a subsequent broadcast, stating, "In yesterday's news, when we reported on the memorial events in Auschwitz, we said six million people were killed in the Holocaust but crucially failed to say they were Jewish. That was our mistake, which we apologise for."

This half-hearted and dismissive apology only compounded the insult. The tone and delivery were far from genuine, coming across as disdainful and insincere. The wording fails to acknowledge the gravity of the incident, as well as the profound impact has on the Jewish community. Instead of demonstrating genuine remorse and accountability, this so-called apology appeared cynical and perfunctory, a hollow attempt to deflect criticism without addressing the underlying issue.

Responsibility & Integrity

The media has a profound responsibility when reporting on historical events, particularly one as significant and as sensitive as the Holocaust. Journalists must approach such topics with accuracy, respect, and an unwavering commitment to truth. When the Holocaust is reduced to a vague tragedy affecting “people”. Where no doubt a wide range of people suffered at the hand s of the Nazis, such language and omission, sends a message that the specific and unique experience and suffering of the Jewish people can be erased, ignored or denied completely.

Antisemitism by Neglect

When influential platforms like ITV downplay Jewish suffering, rewrite history, or make offensive comparisons to the Holocaust, they contribute to the growing tide of antisemitism. This dangerous pattern not only emboldens those who propagate hate but also encourages rising anti-Israel sentiment, which distorts current conflicts and fuels broader prejudices against Jewish communities.

At a time when antisemitism is reaching levels not seen since the Holocaust, the media has a critical role to play in combating false narratives and historical distortions. Instead, ITV’s actions provide tacit support to those who propagate hatred against Jews.

This is not a matter of semantics; it is a matter of integrity. Naming the main victims of the Holocaust as Jews is essential to preserving the memory of what happened and ensuring that such atrocities are never repeated. One only has to look at the surge in anti-Semitism since October 7th, the marches, the protests, the overt support for Hamas which is openly committed to the eradication of the Jews, the anti-Semitic chants and calls for genocide of the Jews. This is not hyperbole; this is what’s happening on our streets today.

Genuine Contrition & Action

ITV News must acknowledge and correct this grievous “oversight” with fare more than an empty and insincere apology. A genuine, public statement acknowledging the harm caused, accompanied by a commitment to accurate and sensitive reporting, is necessary. Moreover, this incident should serve as a wake-up call to all media organizations. Just as accurate, balanced and factually based reporting of current events is critical, so too historical truth matters, and the erasure of Jewish suffering in the Holocaust is wholly unacceptable.

As we commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day, we must remain vigilant against attempts to distort history. At its core, the Holocaust was the genocide of the Jewish people. To obscure that fact is not just irresponsible and unprofessional journalism, it is complicity in the rewriting of history. In the wake of rising antisemitism and the ongoing spread of false narratives about Israel and Jews, the media’s role in promoting truth has never been more important. ITV and Ms Singh, take note!