Is Resistance only Justified When carried out by a Westerner?

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Western countries invoked international law, imposed harsh penalties, welcomed refugees, and supported Ukraine's armed Resistance within days of the Russian-Ukrainian crisis, ever since the outbreak of the Russian –Ukraine crisis. This has provoked outrage in the Middle East, where many perceive a double standard in the West's approach to international issues.

For years, Palestinians have condemned Western nations for only committing lip service to end the Israeli occupation while providing financial, military, and political assistance to “Israel”. The international community, which did little to nothing to fight the occupation of Palestinian areas, has publicly demonstrated its hypocrisy by applying a double standard, which is no longer just a theoretical problem.

According to Palestinian leaders, such western support is glaringly absent for those forced to live under “Israel's” illegitimate occupation of the West Bank and Eastern part of occupied al-Quds and its blockade of Gaza. Moreover, the recent events in Europe have demonstrated flagrant double standards, with the US and European governments supporting Ukraine militarily and morally but remaining silent about Israeli atrocities on Palestinians.

Significantly, the global community has also mobilized in support of Ukraine by supplying arms and aid, declaring official requests through the United Nations, severing economic links, and appealing for peace in the streets. However, many have called out the hypocrisy of the West's attitude, which has been especially evident in recent news coverage.

Similarly, no team of CNN or BBC reporters has swooned over Palestinians. No British prime minister will secretly fly there to meet with the president. No military transporters loaded with crates of drones, Stingers, and Anti-tank weapons will arrive to offer the besieged a fighting chance against the Israeli invader's tanks and drones. 

Sadly, social media won't reach a worldwide audience with its call to arms. Instead, out of concern for offending the aggressor, Facebook suspends a page dedicated to its news coverage. Instead, the occupier will characterize their Resistance as terror, and the rest of the world will watch helplessly and wring its hands as it always does. The western media portrays Middle Easterners as barbaric. (Suleman, 2022).

In addition to the decades-long subjugation of Palestinians, the Israeli-Palestinian wars have resulted in tens of thousands of deaths. But unfortunately, following the most recent terrible attacks on Gaza in this state of continual and unrelenting pain, the international community again did what it does well and granted the Israeli regime complete impunity. 

The international community tried not to disguise their unwavering support for Israeli violence. For instance, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss made a statement in support of the Israeli government shortly after the start of operation Truthful Dawn without noting the deaths of numerous Palestinians. Given the UK's ongoing and steady support of the Israeli regime from its creation, this opinion was not surprising. Furthermore, it was not unexpected, given that the UK provided the Israeli government with weapons for bombing Gaza. The Israeli government will still be able to bomb and kill Palestinians without consequence unless there are significant changes in the world's political landscape.

Notably, opening the minds of American and European politicians to the clear double standards in their differing approaches to the Ukraine crisis and other crises, including the Palestine conflict, is one of the biggest obstacles in dealing with them. Over the last few months, harsh criticism has been leveled at Russian President Vladimir V. Putin, and a slew of sanctions have been imposed to isolate the Russian economy from the global financial infrastructure.

On the one hand, the West glorifies and financially supports the Ukrainian armed struggle, but on the other, it aggressively condemns the Palestinian Resistance towards “Israel”. Therefore, it appears that Resistance is only referred to as Resistance when white people carry it out. In contrast to a white person with a gun, a Palestinian child with a rock is pictured as a terrorist.

The treatment of invasion, occupation, Resistance, and international law is contrasted dramatically. The deployment of every diplomatic and political tool against the Russians is unprecedented on one end. On the other hand, persistent calls for considerably more restrained steps against “Israel” have been turned down by Western nations. Such overtly racist sentiments against the Palestinian plight are obvious and are a major cause of annoyance (Kuttab, 2022).

Any discussion of sanctions against “Israel” is not just unwelcome but frequently verges on the illegal. However, with cries of condemnation against Russia coming from all directions and a sudden interest from the West in what does and does not violate international law, the support for Ukraine is something Palestinians have not experienced. 

Most importantly, all oppressed peoples have the right to resist.  However, praising Westerners for protecting their country is inexcusable, while Palestinians' Resistance is considered terror. The age of one rule for some and another for the rest must end. Principles must be applied consistently and fairly. Additionally, the international community must demand an end to Israeli aggression and occupation of Palestine.