BEIJING: Following the devastating loss of over 30,000 lives in the Gaza Strip as a result of Israel’s continuous strikes since last October, the world is witnessing not only a harrowing scale of human suffering, but also the ugly truth of Western double standards regarding human rights.
As government officials and representatives worldwide convene in Geneva for the 55th session of the Human Rights Council, the protracted tragedy unfolding in Gaza underscores the imperative to safeguard the human rights of all ethnic groups and all people in a fair, equal and effective way.
Death is but one facet of the despair confronting civilians in Gaza. Since 2007, when Israel enforced a sweeping blockade, the region has been besieged by humanitarian crises, including shortages of food, medicine, and clean water for daily sustenance. The ongoing conflict only compounds the already acute scarcity of essential resources for survival.
Just several days ago, United Nations (UN) humanitarian officials warned the Security Council that the entire Gazan population faces acute hunger; over half a million people are “one step away from famine.”
Amidst the enormous humanitarian crisis in Gaza, one cannot help but wonder where the Western human rights champions are. Their absence in addressing the dire circumstances facing Gazans underscores the selective nature and double standards of their global human rights advocacy.
In particular, the United States has opted to turn a blind eye to the plight of the Gazan people. Blocking repeated efforts by the Security Council to pass resolutions urging a ceasefire, Washington has consistently provided military support to Israel.
Take the latest US veto on Feb. 20 as an example. Apart from the United States, which vetoed, and Britain, which abstained, the other 13 members of the Security Council voted in favour of the draft resolution submitted by Algeria on behalf of the Arab states.
The vote’s outcome demonstrated that the Security Council does not lack unanimity; rather, the United States’ decision to undercut the global community’s unified consensus prevents the majority from prevailing.
Through its unwavering support for Israel, including vetoing four Security Council resolutions calling for a ceasefire, some US politicians have effectively emboldened a culture of impunity that undermines the very principles of justice and equity they claim to uphold.
This truth will not go unnoticed by the international community.
As the globe grapples with the aftermath of yet another humanitarian catastrophe, it is imperative that the world confronts the truths that lie at the heart of the collective failure to uphold the sanctity of human life: Western double standard on human rights stands as a formidable obstacle to the global promotion of human welfare.
