Western Hypocrisy Exposed: How Operation Al-Aqsa Storm Revealed West's Double Standards on Palestine and Ukraine

By: M. Sharifi 

Instead, we have unfortunately witnessed a deafening silence and unabashed defense of these crimes by these very Western advocates. Despite the blatant indifference shown by Western human rights defenders towards the Palestinian cause, the Palestinian resistance movement has remained steadfast in its refusal to succumb and accept the Israeli yoke. Indeed, the Palestinian resistance factions have meticulously strategized and executed military initiatives aimed at defending the rights of the Palestinian people. Of particular significance is Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, launched by Hamas on the morning of October 7th, which involved a series of relentless attacks against the Israeli occupiers.

This unprecedented operation reverberated across the globe, dominating world media headlines. The international community, particularly the Western bloc, found themselves confronted with a display of heroic resistance from the Palestinians that had previously been inconceivable. Operation Al-Aqsa Storm effectively rattled the foundations of the Zionist regime, dismantling the myth of its invincibility that had been cultivated over the years. Faced with this unexpected turn of events, the Zionist regime resorted to committing heinous war crimes against the people of Gaza, as it had done in the past, as a form of collective punishment. The Gaza Strip, known for its high population density with two million inhabitants, now finds itself in the throes of one of the most egregious humanitarian crises in the world.

The escalating crimes committed by the Zionist regime have exacerbated concerns that this crisis may evolve into an outright humanitarian catastrophe, with hospitals running out of fuel for their electricity generators. The people of Gaza are currently grappling with dire shortages of water, electricity, and gas, while simultaneously enduring restricted access to food and medicine, all amidst a callous barrage of prohibited lethal weaponry, such as white phosphorus, unleashed by Israeli warplanes. Astonishingly, the collective conscience of the Western world appears to have lapsed into a deep slumber, as countries that claim to champion human rights, namely the UK and France, once again align themselves with the Israeli regime, shamelessly vindicating its egregious crimes against Palestinian civilians.

This time, however, their actions have taken on an even more flagrant and overtly political character, as they not only violate human rights but also demonstrate a lack of empathy for the plight of the Palestinians by prohibiting demonstrations and support gatherings by peace activists. The paradoxical stance of Western governments on matters pertaining to human rights vis-à-vis the Israeli regime underscores the existence of a double standard within their political approach. On one hand, the West swiftly translated its verbal support for Ukraine into tangible military and financial assistance against Russia. Moreover, the sanctions imposed on the Kremlin constitute one of the most comprehensive measures of its kind in the history of diplomacy. Strikingly, these sanctions unfolded against the backdrop of other types of embargoes against Russians in sports, art, and scientific events.

Conversely, we are confronted with the plight of an oppressed nation that has been forsaken by the international community for the past seven decades. Following the successful Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, the Western mainstream media, in alignment with Western policymakers, feigned sympathy for Netanyahu and his clique, attempting to portray them as the instigators of a new round of aggression by the Israeli regime against the Gaza Strip. However, the truth of the matter is that the Palestinians have finally managed to deliver a decisive blow to the Israeli regime after years of suffering and anguish. Presently, politicians in the West have chosen to turn a blind eye to the calamity faced by two million Gazans who find themselves deprived of even the most basic necessities of life due to a siege that has persisted for over 17 years.

The West, which has arrogated to itself the right to support the Ukrainians in their war efforts against the Russians, deeming it a legitimate endeavor, has taken an entirely different approach when it comes to Palestine. The actions taken by the Palestinians to protect their inalienable rights are dismissively labeled as "anti-Semitic." Amidst the ongoing silence of the Western bloc, Gaza has become a mirror that reflects the double standards over human rights. This reality has become so glaringly evident that doubt no longer lingers in the minds of freedom-seekers across the globe.