Caoimhe Mahon
The United Nations previously named 2022 as the deadliest year to date for
Palestinians. However, with violence mounting and the death toll rising it appears
2023 could prove to be even deadlier. In the first month of the new year at least
twenty-nine Palestinians were killed, five of whom were children.
Each day, in the occupied West Bank, Israel carries out raids which often result in
violent confrontations and killings of Palestinians. In March 2022 Israel launched a
military campaign entitled ‘Break The Wave,’ which they deemed to be a
counterterrorism campaign which would work to apprehend any individuals involved in
attacks against Israeli civilians. This however, seems ironic considering the sheer
amount of civilian Palestinian casualties and deaths at the hands of the Israelis, who
claim only to be targeting Palestinian fighters.
As illegal Israeli settlements seemingly expand further across the occupied West Bank
it would appear that illustrations of physical force and acts of intimidation by Israel
are deepening further diminishing the rights of the Palestinian people.
Despite the fact that the increased level of raids resulted from policies introduced
under former Prime Minister Yair Lapid, the brutality of the Israeli government only
extended further into the new far-right government under Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu. Benjamin Netanyahu has even elevated the status of figures such as
Itamar Ben-Gvir within the Israeli government despite the fact that he issued support
towards the man responsible for the killing of twenty-nine Palestinians as they
attended a Mosque in 1994.
All of this appears to be falling upon deaf ears amongst Western leaders. Western
leaders who not only sit back and let Palestinians be slaughtered but who
simultaneously project forward hypocritical views for example when it comes to
Ukraine.
When Ukrainian civilians arm themselves and stand forth they are considered to be
protecting themselves and their nation however, when Palestinians do the same they
are deemed terrorists.
Such hypocrisy extends beyond the political powerheads of Western politics and into
mainstream Western media who play a hegemonic part in influencing public opinion in
the West in order to appease and consequently extend a specific agenda.
Western media can be condemned, most recently, for their coverage of an Israeli
attack on Gaza which saw fifteen people killed, including four children.
Despite making headlines globally the tone and wording of the coverage differed depending
on where the story was broadcast. Many took to social media to speak out against the
approach of displaying ‘both sides’ whilst others condemned the choices of Western
publications to focus on the PTJ killings whilst simultaneously neglecting to mention
the innocent children killed in the attack.
When compared to the portrayal of war in Ukraine and Russia it is clear that there is a
double standard in approach. Ukrainians are deemed to be survivors and heroic but
these words are not extended to the Palestinians. Once again reinforcing the
hypocrisy of the West as the language and agenda of the politicians infiltrate into
areas of Western Media.
This became evident most recently during the screening of the 2023 Eurovision Song
Contest in Liverpool. During the national Jury vote the spokesperson for Poland began
her delivery by saying their, “hearts were in Ukraine and with Ukraine so stay strong.”
She then proceeded to, with great enthusiasm, offer her twelve points to Israel. This
depicts the lens at which people view Palestinians and Ukrainians through alongside
Russia and Israel. A lens distorted by conflicting agendas and bias.
In fact, the agenda and interests of the political and economic powerheads seemingly
take priority and become the core influencing factor when molding the language of
the masses used in conflict portrayal. The events of the Eurovision song contest act as
a clear example of the double standards and hypocrisy that circulate Palestine and
Israel when compared to the portrayal of Ukraine.
Image: JBouchez
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