Palestine and Ukraine: Colossal difference in treatment and narrative
4 Min Read
"Objectivity completely discarded": Why resistance is only acceptable when it's done against Russia.
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Nearly the entire global community has voiced its support of Ukraine in recent weeks (AP)
Analysis and a mere following of Western media in the recent weeks following Russia's military operation in Ukraine show a colossal difference in both treatment and narrative.
As the military operation in Ukraine continues, millions of refugees flee to neighboring countries, and the massive encouragement is given to Ukrainians' "popular resistance", Palestinians around the world wonder why their cause has not been backed even remotely as close to Ukraine's?
Could it be because they have been resisting for more than 70 years and not only a couple of weeks?
The reality is that the West is so completely anti-Russia in its attitude and narrative that it could not be happier to report on a supposedly oppressed people being bombarded by Russia.
Soon after the military operation was initiated, the West circulated gut-wrenching images of Ukrainian civilians with Molotov cocktails in an attempt to "resist" Russia. Unprecedented statements were made by Western media correspondents tragically telling the tale of how those being targeted in Ukraine do not resemble most middle-easterners or other oppressed peoples but in fact are white, European, and "civilized".
The reporter's description of Ukraine is alone enough evidence to understand that the West only sympathizes with those who resemble it in both faith and looks.
Never mind the thousands killed in Yemen or Iraq or Afghanistan by the US. Never mind the thousands killed in Palestine by the brutal Israeli occupation and its oppressive and inhumane measures. The real victims here are Christian Europeans.
Nour Odeh, a political analyst called the double-standard of the EU and US "jaw-dropping."
According to Odeh, “I think the most striking aspect of the hypocrisy of it all is hearing state representatives talking about the illegality of the acquisition of territory by force, talking about upholding international law, talking about accountability, when these same representatives refuse to apply that standard of international law to Israeli actions regarding occupied Jerusalem, the West Bank, and illegal settlements."
Odeh described what is strikingly obvious for many who are sympathetic to the Palestinian cause.
While Western media outlets praise Ukraine for "resisting" Russia's "invasion", Palestinians, who are internationally recognized as occupied people are called "terrorists" by Western media, are accused of using human shields, are attacked in Western media for being anti-semitic due to BDS policies, and are widely told to give up their cause and agree to a two-state solution to "end the violence."
“The criticism is warranted; we’ve seen enough evidence to see that objectivity is completely discarded,” Odeh said.
Palestinians have for years called on the international community to exert on "Israel" the same pressure it has exerted on Russia.
“As a Palestinian, it shocks me. I can see reports on mainstream media outlets where the reporter expresses personal views, awe, and [praise for] Ukrainians preparing Molotov cocktails,” she said. “The same reporter would be talking of Molotov cocktails in the hands of Palestinians as terroristic.”
The obvious reason is that while the West is mostly anti-Russian, it is absolutely and unanimously pro-"Israel".
Ali Jarbawi, a professor of political science at Birzeit University, said the US and the West consider Ukraine a "part of the Western group, as opposed to Palestine being the 'other'."
According to Odeh, what this crisis has done is reveal and expose the fact that powerful countries treat international law as a tool to serve their political goals and interests, and they are willing to bend the law − and to even undermine it − in order to protect an ally like "Israel".
Irish lawmaker Richard Boyd Barrett criticized his government for "double standards" imposed on Russia and not taking similar measures against "Israel".
Addressing Parliament, he said, " You’re happy to correctly use the most strong and robust language to describe the crimes against humanity of [Russian President] Vladimir Putin but you will not use the same strength of language when it comes to describing Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians."
