As West rallies around Ukraine, Palestinians see double standard
While Palestinians have lauded Ukrainian efforts to resist Russia's invasion, they lament a double standard in the West toward their own efforts to resist occupation.
Palestinians and their supporters have for years criticized Western countries for only giving lip service to ending the occupation, while financially, military and politically supporting the Israeli occupiers.
Statements in support of their rights rang hollow as the world community tried to legally ban boycotts and declared that politics should not touch sports and that sanctions should not be used against a country that professes to be a democracy.
Israeli attacks on media, medical personnel, and civilians were called unintentional collateral damage, or the result of the occupied people using their own citizens as shields. Western countries and media often used the exact terms of the Israelis to describe resistance as being acts of terror. Even diplomatic initiatives were dubbed “diplomatic terror.”
Until Ukraine. Suddenly, women preparing Molotov cocktails are media heroes. Sanctions are not only used against the army or political figures, but even extend to sports. Russia is being accused of war crimes, and even the International Criminal Court is paying attention. The Red Cross is putting out public service announcements reminding the Russian occupiers of their obligations according to international law.
