The ongoing conflict in Gaza has raised questions about the supposed "moral superiority" the West has. The Israeli military's relentless attacks on Gaza, including the targeting of civilian infrastructure, have led to a devastating toll, with reports of casualties exceeding 10,000. Unfortunately, the scenes unfolding in Gaza seem to surpass even the creative horrors depicted in Hollywood.
On Wednesday, it was reported that the Israeli military hit Jabalia Refugee Camp in Gaza for the second time, where hundreds of casualties have been reported, destroying an entire residential area known as Block 6.
What is particularly disconcerting is the unwavering support from the United States and European allies for Israel's operations in Gaza, despite widespread accusations of genocide and ethnic cleansing. This steadfast support extends to resisting calls for a cease-fire, even for humanitarian reasons. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, in a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart on Wednesday in the Turkish capital, Ankara, pointed out that European countries and the U.S. support Israel to an extent that is appreciated by Tel Aviv.
In other words, Israeli "forces" have not only been occupying the Palestinian territories, but also seem to permeate the political and diplomatic psyche of Western leadership. Whether this surrender of the Western moral compass serves the national interests of the U.S. and European countries remains a questionable matter. However, there is a growing awareness, political activism and public opinion against the tragic situation faced by Palestinians, particularly in European cities.
“There cannot be different standards for Ukraine and Palestine. If we want a fair world, we must always act with integrity and consistency,” Fidan criticized the West, saying “The West has lost its moral superiority.”
In a recent remark, Fidan asserted that the narrative on the illegal settlements must be changed. He said that the settlements should be called "theft" and that the terminology must be corrected.
Nowadays, we hear a lot about the phrase “West’s moral superiority” also.
I think we need to question this concept in these days as well. Without delving into some historical and philosophical discussion about what is the West and what is moral, I think we should recall the very dark pages of recent history and investigate the Bosnian genocide and how the Western “moral” attitude acted there. The atrocities in Afghanistan and Iraq should be examined to expose the level of “morality” when it comes to the West and double standards on what is "moral" and what is not.
The indifference to Yemen, Myanmar, Libya and Syria, among many other places, should be explained before we talk about Western "moral superiority."
By the way, did the West ever have moral superiority? What about colonial history in Africa, Asia and exploitation in South America, or the treatment of Indigenous communities across North America?
The exploitation and dispossession in material terms and in social and cultural terms for material interests and some theological aims is what is hidden in the phrase “Western moral superiority.” Isn’t the theo-political narrative, namely based on Zionism, at the very center of the Gaza attacks too? As a side note, the "only secular democracy" in the Middle East argument for Israel has also been proven to be a myth.
In a conflict where imagery and narratives are competing, it is about time to propose new narratives about Gaza and the Palestinian struggle as a whole as well. Double standards and hypocrisy should be exposed at every level, be it in media coverage, political rhetoric or academic analysis.
If the eyes that shed tears for Ukrainian children are closed when Palestinian children are bombed, then there cannot be “Western moral superiority.”
The cinematographic imagery in Gaza is real. It is a real nightmare that has shown Western failure in the moral test, and sooner or later, the consciousness of those who are complicit in the killings of innocent children and civilians will be haunted by it.
