In much of Western activism, the word “Nazi” has become the supposed ultimate accusation or slur. Political rivals are branded as fascists, authoritarians, or sympathizers. Yet, this doesn’t make much sense, because the same groups that are quick to use the label often declare their solidarity with Palestine. Well, irony sure can be ironic sometimes. These poor people are so confused. No wonder they’re all so angry.
Let’s have ourselves a History and Civics lesson. Palestine has well-documented ties to Nazism, both historically and culturally, from the role of the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem during the Second World War to the ongoing popularity of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf in parts of the Arab world. Wouldn’t that make the pro-Palestinians the fascists? Doesn’t this insight help explain the “conform or die” rhetoric the left has been touting lately?
This contradiction is not only ironic but, I would venture to say, it’s also quite revealing. Frankly, I believe it shows how historical ignorance, propaganda, and psychological manipulation shape modern discourse. But let’s dig in a little more so you can see what I mean.
Historical Background
The Grand Mufti and Hitler: Amin al-Husseini, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, played a central role in aligning segments of Palestinian nationalism with Nazi Germany. Just search his name in your search engine, then click on images. You will see images of his meeting with Adolf Hitler in 1941, or numerous other images of him hanging out with high-profile Nazis. Of course, if you do some deeper research, you will find that he also pledged support for the Axis powers and openly endorsed the extermination of Jews.
Beyond rhetoric, al-Husseini was also an active collaborator with the Nazis. In fact, he recruited Muslims into Waffen SS divisions, broadcast Nazi propaganda in Arabic, and encouraged violence against Jews in Palestine and beyond. After the war, he escaped accountability and continued to serve as a figurehead for Palestinian resistance. What I want you to understand is that his collaboration is not fringe history. It is well-documented, consistent, and tied directly to Nazi policy.
This matters because al-Husseini played a foundational role in shaping Palestinian nationalism’s ideological and political trajectory. He fused antisemitism with the normalization of violence as a political tool. Both ideas remain embedded in Palestinian movements today.
Mein Kampf’s Popularity: Some might argue that Amin al-Husseini’s views are not shared by other Palestinians. That would be highly inaccurate. Most Americans don’t seem to know this, but Hitler’s Mein Kampf has been translated into Arabic and circulated widely across the Middle East for decades.
In Palestinian territories, it has been marketed as a work of political insight and has frequently appeared on bestseller lists (as recently as the 2000s). In fact, the book is often promoted as part of an anti-Zionist reading canon, reframed as a critique of Jewish influence rather than a genocidal manifesto. That a text central to Nazi ideology is still consumed as political instruction in the region adds a ton of weight to the irony here.
Continuity of Propaganda: Nazi Germany invested heavily in Arabic propaganda during the war, producing broadcasts and literature that tied Jews to global conspiracies and painted the Axis as defenders of Arab independence. Many of these narratives survived the collapse of Nazi Germany and continued through Arab nationalist movements.
Former Nazi officers and propagandists fled to the Middle East, where they were welcomed by governments hostile to Israel and helped shape the region’s anti-Jewish discourse. The circulation of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, itself a forged Russian text, but one promoted by the Nazis, further embedded conspiratorial thinking that persists today. Today, they wear their antisemitism on their sleeve.
The Irony in Modern Activism
Don’t get me wrong, and don’t read into something that isn’t there. This article isn’t about pro-Palestine or pro-Israel. Frankly, I’m rather agnostic on the topic because I think we have our own problems here at home to deal with. Likewise, people who spend more energy worrying about the troubles of other nations while neglecting the massive problems in our own are, quite frankly, out of touch (privilege personified). Regardless, my purpose here is simpler: to point out that those calling others Nazi don’t seem to know what the hell they are talking about, and if they do know, then they are hypocrites.
Let’s ignore the fact that the people being called Nazi in the United States are typically conservatives, which the Nazis historically opposed. In Western discourse, Nazism supposedly represents absolute political evil (despite the fact that the Communists killed WAY more people during that time). Accordingly, people invoke it in debates about policy, social issues, and elections. Yet, the historical truth of the Nazi/Palestine relationship/collaboration is either conveniently ignored or unknown. And that begs the question: if fighting fascism also means cheering its allies, what exactly are you fighting – besides a terrible case of cognitive dissonance?
The contradiction is clear, but the ignorance of the matter is infuriating. Of course, that doesn’t stop the ignorant from using the word as a weapon anyway. And by the way, this is a great example of the point I made in “A Warning on the Weaponization of Language,” but we need to ask ourselves why it’s happening.
Why People Fall for the Contortion
I have a few theories as to why these contradictions occur. First and foremost, we have to blame ignorance and indoctrination. Thanks to public education’s revisionist nonsense, these poor kids don’t have much of a foundation to work from. Their ignorance enables them to be manipulated or indoctrinated into dutiful little drones that will parrot whatever their puppet masters throw at them. Of course, this statement should prompt you to question who those puppet masters are and what they want, but that’s a topic for a different article. Nonetheless, for the average drone, I believe four or five other factors contribute to their involvement in the chaos.
Ideological Subversion: During the Cold War, Soviet strategists described a process of ideological subversion that undermines societies from within by reshaping cultural values and moral frameworks. Over time, people are conditioned to reject their own traditions, distrust their institutions, and adopt contradictory beliefs. Western activists have been trained to see Nazism as the ultimate evil while simultaneously embracing movements with proven Nazi ties. Moreover, they have been led to embrace Marxist and Communist ideals, despite their known outcomes.
Active Measures: Active measures are coordinated campaigns of disinformation, propaganda, and influence. Both Soviet and Arab propagandists worked to reframe Israel as “the new Nazis” and Palestinians as the heirs of Jewish victimhood. It may sound a little weird, but by inverting historical reality, they created a narrative that emotionally resonated with Western audiences while obscuring the historical truth they wanted to hide.
Reflexive Control: Reflexive control, a concept originating in Russian military science, refers to manipulating an adversary’s perceptions so that they make the decisions you want them to make, while believing they are acting independently. Western activists often believe they are taking a principled stand for human rights when, in fact, they are repeating a script designed through selective imagery, slogans, and propaganda. The question we need to ponder is: to what end?
Psychological Operations: I’ve written about this before, but modern psyops exploit emotion more than fact. Memes, images, and simplified slogans shape perception faster than analysis can correct it. Outrage is contagious, and once it takes hold, people often ignore contradictions. People accuse their neighbors of being Nazis while celebrating movements that once collaborated with the Nazis themselves. This confusion creates a subtle, divisive anger that manifests in many terrible ways.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of the people I have ever spoken with on the matter are entirely unaware of these manipulation tactics. Similarly, they are completely unaware of things like Dark Psychology. Oddly enough, even people with psychology degrees have never heard of such things. It’s no accident. The point is that these mechanisms combine to help create Epistemic Rigidity. Once people accept the false narrative, no amount of contradictory evidence is ever enough to dislodge it.
What To Do With This Information
The good news is that if you want out of the blur, there are a few things you can do. Awareness is the first defense. People must accept that much of what they hear in public schools, politics, and the media is designed to manipulate rather than inform. You have to start there.
Second, understand that easy narratives and slogans are designed to elicit your micro-agreements. Do not accept slogans at face value. Question historical claims, check sources, and compare them with primary evidence. This is especially true when someone presents a compelling contrast.
That’s where Contrastive Inquiry comes in. Challenge contradictions directly. For example, if Nazism is evil, then how can it be excused when connected to Palestinian leadership or ideology? Asking these questions forces you to recognize the double standard.
However, in order to find the truth, you must first be willing to accept discomfort. The truth often requires letting go of cherished narratives; maybe even your identity. But if you can, then you have a chance to model intellectual consistency. Being loud or aligned with a cause isn’t enough. Coherence matters more than slogans.
Final Thoughts
The point is that a pro-Palestine activist yelling at someone else for being a supposed Nazi is just odd. Don’t allow yourself to be the one spouting things you’ve never truly thought about. You cannot support, love, defend, or exercise something you do not truly know.
The irony of accusing conservatives of Nazism (people the Nazis opposed) while supporting a movement with Nazi ties is not superficial. It signals either systemic ignorance or deliberate manipulation. Don’t be a victim any longer! Recognizing this irony isn’t about winning arguments online; it’s about reclaiming the capacity to think critically and resist psychological shaping. At the very least, it’s about not looking like a jackass on a public stage.
As for the debates you may run into online with these types, I’ll leave you with some timeless advice. It’s often attributed to Mark Twain (though the attribution is debated), but the wisdom holds: ‘Never argue with stupid people. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.’ And while I’m at it, let me also remind the ignorant of Voltaire’s warning: ‘Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.’ Be careful out there.
