Western Democracy and the Contradictions of Justice in Gaza
- Western Double Standards: The selective application of international law and rhetoric, especially regarding the Gaza conflict, exposes the hypocrisy of Western powers in justifying oppressive actions under the guise of “self-defense” while ignoring similar violations elsewhere.
- Misuse of Antisemitism: The term “antisemitism” is often weaponized to silence criticism of Israeli policies, despite opposition from many Jewish communities who distance themselves from Zionist actions.
- Historical Injustices: The ongoing suffering of Palestinians is rooted in historical imperialism, with discriminatory policies and disregard for UN resolutions perpetuating cycles of violence and inequality.
The “Genocide” in the Gaza Strip is not a new phenomenon, but it’s part of the pain being inflicted upon Palestinians by Western imperialism since 1917; this new phase has just exposed the double standards of the West. When the EU Foreign Minister, Joseph Borrell, was asked on live television about the war in Ukraine, he said that it’s state terrorism, but at the same time, when he was asked about the “genocide” in Gaza, he said that he is not a judge or a lawyer. The other interview was with the then Prime Minister of the UK, Rishi Sunak when he said Hamas committed terrorism against Israeli civilians, and the interviewer asked him what his view was about the IOF’s killing of innocent children and women in Gaza. He said that it was a tragedy.
I don’t understand how easily they make these kinds of statements without being challenged. The incumbent Prime Minister of the UK, Sir Keir Starner, said that Israel has the right to defend itself (by the way, how can the occupier have the right to defend itself while the owner doesn’t have that right, isn’t it the peak of hypocrisy?) but any other party must not retaliate; it means that Israel is not accountable to any international law for committing war crimes or state terrorism? Starner also supported the idea that the people of Gaza should be cut off from water, electricity, food, etc. I’m asking him what civilization or law gives him this authority to starve children, especially those children who are born and raised in the refugee camps because their ancestors were kicked out of their homes by the UK and allies.
Being a student of law, I can’t even imagine if someone can make such statements and then get away with it without accountability. The second very important thing is that the word “antisemitism” is very much misused by Western colonialists and imperialist regimes. I have a lot of Jewish friends who say that their religion is used by the Zionists, and those Jews who follow the Torah have nothing to do with Israel. One of them said that Israel was the most dangerous place (not a country) for Jews after Israel’s creation.
The third point is that Western democracy says that religion has nothing to do with the state because religion is an individual matter, which means that the state has no religion, but when it comes to Israel, the West always says that we protect the “Jewish State,” and everyone knows about the discriminatory laws in Israel against Arabs and even against Black Jews. Israel’s liberation has been recognized by the UN resolutions, but the Israeli government has always disregarded UN resolutions, which logically means that those resolutions that gave existence to Israel are very much questionable, and in case (hypothetically) the UN doesn’t exist, Israel will not exist because it doesn’t have legal justification and it shows what natural and unnatural states mean.
Recently, in Germany, a law has been passed with the name of “Never Again” to protect Jews, but when you question that “never again” should be for everyone, they will blame you for antisemitism, and even the authorities can prosecute you. When it comes to the “genocide” in Gaza, the Western world justifies it by calling it “self-defense or necessary action,” which means that the West justifies one genocide by referring to another genocide.
In conclusion, the situation in Gaza and the broader Palestinian struggle highlights deep-seated hypocrisies and double standards in Western policies and rhetoric. The selective application of international law, the misuse of terms like “antisemitism” to silence legitimate criticism, and the justification of oppressive actions under the guise of “self-defense” reveal the contradictions in the proclaimed values of democracy and human rights. Addressing these issues requires not only holding states accountable to international law but also recognizing the historical injustices that perpetuate cycles of violence and inequality. True justice demands consistency, empathy, and an unwavering commitment to universal human rights.
The author is a final-year LLB student at the University of Hertfordshire, London.
