The writer is an
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President of All
Pakistan Private
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The West and the U.S. have an unprecedented double standard on the issue of war in Ukraine and Gaza, especially when it comes to Israel, pouncing on everything it does with undue harshness. The Western approach to the war in Ukraine and Gaza, particularly the controversial support for Israel, has become a focal point of international scrutiny. The historical ties, shared democratic values, and geopolitical interests that underpin the Western alliance with Israel contribute to a perceived double standard in foreign policy. As the global community grapples with complex geopolitical realities, addressing these inconsistencies is essential for fostering a more equitable and just approach to conflicts worldwide. The challenge lies in striking a balance between strategic alliances and the universal principles that underpin the international order. In the ever-evolving landscape of international relations, the West has often been accused of employing a double standard when addressing conflicts around the globe. One glaring example of this inconsistency is the contrasting attitudes towards the situations in Ukraine and Gaza, where the Western world’s support for Israel has raised eyebrows and drawn criticism. These complexities surrounding this contentious issue, explore the underlying factors that contribute to this perceived double standard. An unprecedented double standard that relentlessly criticizes Russia’s attack on Ukraine but is unbothered by Israel’s bombing of civilians in Gaza and Palestine. All this strikes me as both right and wrong, a fair point and a false one. It is undeniably true that the world ignores Israel’s oppression of Palestinians than many other horrors. Does anyone think that represents even-handedness? The West is more focused on Russia’s attack on Ukraine rather than Israel’s wave of atrocities currently underway against children in Gaza, while the number of children displaced by recent fighting in Gaza which is far greater than the entire atrocities in the past of Gaza. So is there a double standard in global attention? Absolutely it’s very clear. The conflict in Ukraine, particularly the annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014, has been a focal point of Western concern and condemnation. The West, led by the United States and its European allies, has consistently taken a strong stance against Russia’s actions, imposing sanctions and diplomatic pressure in an effort to counter what they view as a blatant violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty. The support for Ukraine is framed within the context of defending democratic principles, safeguarding international borders, and preserving the post-World War II order. In contrast, the Israeli-Palestinian war, especially the situation in Gaza, has been marred by a different narrative. Despite numerous instances of violence, civilian casualties, and allegations of human rights abuses, the Western world has exhibited a more lenient approach towards Israel. The controversial construction of settlements in the West Bank, the periodic military operations in Gaza, and the ongoing blockade have led many to question the consistency of Western values when it comes to addressing conflicts.
The unwavering support of the U.S. and its allied West for Israel in Gaza’s war created a glaring double standard in Western foreign policy. The West was deliberately hesitant to adopt a stern stance against Israel, raising questions about the consistency of principles such as human rights, territorial integrity, and sovereignty, which proved the unprecedented double standard of the U.S. and the West on Ukraine and Gaza.
The establishment of Israel in 1948 was met with significant support from Western nations, driven in part by the moral responsibility perceived in the aftermath of the Holocaust. The historical connection has cultivated a deep-seated alliance between Israel and the West, shaping the geopolitical landscape of the region for decades. The unwavering support for Israel, particularly from the United States, has been a point of contention on the global stage. This support creates a double standard, wherein Israel is seemingly given more leeway compared to other nations involved in conflicts. The reasons for this special relationship are multifaceted, ranging from historical ties and shared democratic values to geopolitical interests in the Middle East. Meanwhile, some of the worst mistreatment of Palestinians in recent years was inflicted by Israel in Gaza and Yeroselum. Palestinians have every right to point all this out, but it strikes me as unconscionable to use the world’s hypocrisy, however invidious, to justify the deaths of thousands of children in Gaza. History is full of such brutality, in the recent past, Americans invaded Iraq and tortured people there. Israel’s actions are also brutal from the very U.N. agencies and human rights groups whose staffs are risking their lives in the field of Gaza’s war. In any case, there is a reason to focus on Gaza today, especially in the presence of the judgment of Unicef, the world’s most dangerous place to be a child. Even the International Court of Justice (ICJ) also rejected Israel’s petition to throw out the case, telling it to prevent its troops from committing genocide against Palestinians and asking the Israeli military to adhere to the Genocide Convention by preventing and punishing incitement to genocide, as well as by providing humanitarian aid. Nonetheless, it’s a very significant finding from both a legal and political perspective, that it will most likely increase international pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to curb the genocide in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip violated the U.N.’s 1948 Genocide Convention, to which Israel is a party. Israeli leaders have intended to create conditions of death for Palestinians in Gaza. As the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza by Israeli operations since October 7 now stands at more than 30,000 including 15,000 plus children, the strip’s Hamas-run health ministry has said. It added that 90,970 Palestinians were injured during the same period. The World Health Organization (WHO) says only 5 out of Gaza’s 36 hospitals are partially functioning. The six hospitals in the south are operating at three times their capacity while facing critical shortages of basic supplies and fuel for generators. UN agencies say 55% plus of Gazans – 716,600 people – have exhausted their food supplies and coping capacities and face catastrophic hunger and starvation. According to Unrwa, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, 2.3 million Gazan residents – about 93% of the population – have been displaced, and 1.9 million of them are sheltering in its facilities. Every day is a struggle for survival. Israel has deployed highly destructive 2000-pound bombs in parts of Gaza that it has itself declared safe. More than 2,100 families have lost multiple family members, while some families do not have any survivors left, even no one has been spared, not babies, and especially not children. The Gaza Genocide is not about the claims of Israel protecting itself, but, this is all about oil. Indeed, IDF’s Gaza war is to get illegal possession and control on Palestinian gas, focused on the 1.4 trillion cubic feet of natural gas discovered in 2000 off the Gaza coast, valued at $524 billion to avert the Israeli energy crisis. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) military’s brutal attacks in Gaza are the deadliest and most destructive criminal war in recent history, but Israelis look in vain for any sign of victory.
The Israeli-Palestinian war has witnessed repeated human rights abuses, particularly in Gaza. The use of force, civilian casualties, and the blockade have led to widespread criticism from international organizations and human rights advocates. The perceived reluctance of the West to address these concerns with the same vigour as other conflicts has fueled accusations of selective morality. The annexation of Crimea by Russia was deemed a breach of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, leading to swift condemnation and sanctions. However, when it comes to Israel’s expansion of settlements in the West Bank, a similar commitment to upholding territorial integrity is not consistently demonstrated. This has fueled perceptions of a double standard in the Western approach to conflicts. The Middle East holds strategic importance for the U.S. and the Western nations, given its vast energy resources and geopolitical significance. Israel, with its military prowess and stability, is viewed as a key ally in a region marked by volatility. This strategic alliance has influenced the U.S. and the Western approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with concerns over upsetting the balance in the region and jeopardizing long-standing alliances. Even the Western media also plays a crucial role in shaping public opinion and influencing political discourse. The coverage of war, including those in Ukraine and Gaza, often reflects the prevailing biases and interests of media outlets. This can contribute to the perpetuation of double standards, as certain conflicts receive disproportionate attention while others are marginalized. Of course, Israel had some excuses but none of the excuses were Israel’s indiscriminate bombing, in the words of President Biden, and restrictions on food and other assistance. Because of America’s support for Israel’s invasion and diplomatic protection for it at the United Nations, this blood is on the hands of the U.S. and the West and that surely justifies increased scrutiny. Yet here’s another double standard, the west and Americans condemn Russia, China or Venezuela for their violations of human rights, but the United States and it’s allied support Israel and protect it diplomatically even as it has engaged in what President Biden has called an over the top military campaign. How can the U.S. condemn Russia’s bombing of civilians in Ukraine as a war crime but fund Netanyahu’s war machine, which has killed thousands? So it’s fair to talk about double standards. They are real. They run in many directions, shielding Israel as well as condemning it. No doubt, Israel has committed and failed to prevent genocidal acts, including mass killings, serious bodily and mental harm, and imposing conditions intended to bring about the destruction of a substantial part of the Palestinian national, racial and ethnical group, that is part of the Palestinian group in the Gaza Strip. Indeed, Israel has lost the battle and seriously violated its obligations under the Genocide Convention; that it must stop any genocidal acts; ensure that people committing or inciting genocide are punished; collect and preserve or allow for the collection and preservation of evidence of genocidal acts against Palestinians in Gaza; and issue reparations, including allowing displaced Palestinians to return to their homes, reconstruct what it destroyed in Gaza, and ensure respect for the human rights of Palestinians in Gaza, among others. In a world where we are all connected by our shared humanity, we should never let our very human tangles of double standards and hypocrisies be harnessed to deflect from the tragedy unfolding today for the children of Gaza, or America’s complicity in it. The unwavering support of the U.S. and its allied west for Israel in Gaza’s war created a glaring double standard in Western foreign policy. The West was deliberately hesitant to adopt a stern stance against Israel, raising questions about the consistency of principles such as human rights, territorial integrity, and sovereignty, which proved the unprecedented double standard of the U.S. and the West on Ukraine and Gaza.