Western civilized world has different sets of standards in conducting foreign policy. There are countless examples to illustrate that. West will like Democracy when it suits them and not when it doesn’t. West will support a tyrant if it suits them and oppose/dispose a tyrant when it doesn’t. This double standards is true even in economic and trade policy. America preach globalization and free trade but when it comes to China, it adopts a position of protectionism and industrial policy.
West and especially America also has double standards on humanitarianism. Let’s take the most recent example. The position of West on Ukraine conflict. Russian aggression and genocide of Ukrainian people is responded by West in stringent terms. All kinds of weaponry (Missiles, tanks, drones etc) are provided by the West to Ukrainian government to fight Russian aggression. Along with weapons, western military experts and technicians are also on the ground in Ukraine advising Ukrainian military. And all this is along with enormous economic, diplomatic and moral support to Ukraine.
US and EU have imposed the most aggressive economic sanctions against Russia targeting its trade, investments and going as far as freezing its foreign reserves. And what about moral and spiritual support? Whenever Zelensky meets leaders of Western nations, the meetings demonstrate great affection and intimacy where foreign leaders give utmost love & compassion to Zelensky. They will hug him, praise him as a hero, give him therapy sessions to endure these testing times. In the pinnacle of this moral and spiritual support, the great leaders of EU nations collectively visited White House to talk to Donald Trump who had misbehaved with Zelensky in a previous meeting.
Now contrast the above mentioned behavior of West regarding Ukraine to the Genocide of Palestinians. In America, there’s unwavering bipartisan consensus of supporting Israel - militarily and diplomatically. There’s no hope from either of political parties to oppose Genocide. In Europe, the opposition to Genocide of Palestinians is either phony or only symbolic. European nations will support Palestine in UN resolutions which practically count for nothing nowadays. How many UN resolutions on two State solutions have already been pending till date? Did they changed any reality on the ground? The situation is worse in America for they now support Israel in UN. And it’s not just madman Donald Trump. Even the great progressive Biden administration took some of the most shameful positions in UN over Gaza Genocide.
Some European nations are starting to recognize Palestine Statehood. Recognition of Palestine at this stage of conflict counts for nothing unless it’s backed by substantive means. The question is how will you stop genocide on the ground. There’re only two paths. Impose draconian sanctions on Israel - just like the ones imposed on Russia to cripple its economy. Second - provide Palestine with military protection. The aid convoys (food trucks and flotillas etc) to Gaza should be accompanied by tanks and fighter planes so that they can reach Gaza. If Israeli military tries to stop them, then they should be dealt with militarily. That translates into war against Israel. Can EU nations do that?
EU nations can also start arming the Palestinian government or even Jihadi groups in Gaza. It wouldn’t be the first time EU nations would be funding Islamic rebels, for they had been funding Al Qaeda/Al Nusra/Jihadis in Syria and Libya very recently to overthrow regimes of these States. Whenever it suited the West, it never hesitated to arm Jihadis against regimes which West wanted to overthrow. America created Mujahideen in Afghanistan. America, EU and Turkey created Jihadis in Libya and Syria to overthrow Gaddafi and Assad. West never had any moral qualms about funding Jihad.
Weaponizing resistance groups in Palestine against Israeli aggression is analogous to weaponizing Ukrainian resistance against Putin. Unfortunately, the deep love & affection that EU has for Zelensky cannot be extended for Mahmoud Abbas. For Ukraine, EU is ready to provide a war chest but for Palestine, there’s only symbolic diplomatic support from EU politicians. And why does some EU nations even provide symbolic support to Palestine. Because there are progressive political & social forces in these nations that pressurize the government to stop genocide in Gaza. The governments of these EU nations don’t really have the intention to stop the genocide but due to their domestic political compulsions, they are forced to provide symbolic diplomatic sympathies to Gaza and Palestinians - nothing more than that.
All this symbolic diplomatic support won’t matter as in few years Israel will complete its genocide exercise. It would be fait accompli and world would move on.
Now we look into realpolitik of EU and how it shapes its foreign policy. It has nothing to do with any humanitarian values. EU is concerned about Ukraine conflict because it’s on border of NATO, a conflict close to home. EU doesn’t want a war in the continent. Ukraine has great strategic value to EU and NATO as it’s a spearhead against Russian aggression. Backing of Ukraine is giving great strategic dividends to NATO & EU. A weaponized Ukraine has greatly depleted Russia’s war machine and thus rendering it useless in future, without any capacity to launch major conventional war.
What about strategic value of Gaza and Palestine? There is none. So there’s no point in giving meaningful military support to Palestine. Palestinians would thus have to satisfy their appetite with symbolic diplomatic support which counts for nothing on the ground. The Civil society in liberal nations will do some hue and cry about genocide in Palestine. Some Hollywood actors will offer sympathies for Palestinians. Nothing more than that.
The UN resolutions on two State solution have been piling up for decades. They don’t amount to anything. Israel understands all this and there’s probably also a tacit understanding between Israel and governments of liberal nations that publicly condemn actions of Israel. Let the Civil society cry about humanitarianism, the West’s military support to Israel will continue. For PR exercise, liberal nations will symbolically condemn Israel but won’t stop them from committing genocide.
This dubious game of phony support and sympathy for Palestinians is not just played by civilized western nations. The same tactics is used by Arab States. There’s a strong social revulsion against Israel in Islamic nations. These Arab States are ruled by dictators and they also don’t see any strategic value in supporting Palestine. So to quench anger of Islamic solidarity movements in their States, they also engage in phony symbolic support to Palestinian cause. The new resolution in UN general assembly for a two state solution is presented by France and Saudi Arabia. It won’t amount to anything.
Humanitarian principles and human life isn’t worth a penny in this brutal world which is governed by pure cynicism of realpolitik.
So far, Spain and Ireland, by actively condemning Israel, working to enforce BDS as much as they can, are still honourable. As Spain's Prime Minister said, unfortunately they don't have nuclear weapons.
A few months ago, I thought this writer had some deep and practical insights on the topics he writes about, but after reading some recent writings, it is clear to me that he does not. His non-constructive criticism of the current government of Modi in India is one example, as well as this one. I am unlikely to read his future writings.