In the Media

Algemeiner – MARCH 27, 2024

It is a sad and sobering reality that in Israel’s war against Hamas, the Jewish State is being subjected not just to a double standard, but a triple standard.

During this war, it has become increasingly obvious that the Arab countries that profess to care about Palestinian lives, aren’t doing much to help the situation. Despite Egypt having an actual physical border with Gaza, and despite Jordan’s population being something in the realm of 70% Palestinian, according to some statistics, both countries have barely made an effort to address the humanitarian issue.

Egypt, in response to the humanitarian suffering in Gaza, is building a large concrete wall along the Gaza border to prevent Palestinians from leaving. Qatar, meanwhile, continues to host the “brave” leaders of Hamas in luxury hotels, while Gaza’s civilians suffer.

Yet, the world doesn’t criticize or demand anything from these countries, even though America gives billions of dollars to Jordan and Egypt each year.

Then there is the West, which values freedom, democracy, human rights, LGBTQI rights and so forth. After the October 7 terrorist invasion by Hamas, many countries correctly stood by Israel — a fellow democracy that embraces the same values they do. France even suggested the world should build a coalition, similar to what it did to defeat ISIS.

But six months later, there is no sign of any such coalition, and France has lost its courage and joined calls for an immediate ceasefire that would leave Hamas in power.

Focusing entirely on the plight of Gazan civilians suffering under a war their leaders started — France along with many Western countries, including Australia — is actively trying to prevent Israel from defeating Hamas. Letting Hamas retain power would invite future October 7 assaults (something Hamas leaders have promised to carry out), and make it harder to secure the release of the Israeli hostages still being held at gunpoint in Gaza.

So, the question needs to be asked, what would these countries do if they were attacked by dozens of brutal death squads, encompassing thousands of terrorists, who inflicted mass murder, torture, and rape on 22 civilian towns?

The answer is clear. When America was attacked on 9/11, the world understood that basic international freedom, security, and prosperity were at stake. The UN Security Council even passed resolution 1368 the very next day, unanimously condemning the “horrifying terrorist attacks.”

America, NATO, and the free world soon launched a war on terrorism. America’s number one priority was to get the terrorists, and no one questioned its right or purpose. And they certainly didn’t demand a ceasefire before the threat to American civilians was removed.

The same thing happened in the war against ISIS, which caused massive destruction and loss of civilian life. Again, it was understood that this was an unavoidable part of the tragedy of war.

There were no demands to negotiate with ISIS, the Taliban, or Al Qaeda, because of the universal understanding that you cannot negotiate with terrorist groups or terrorist regimes.

Israel is fighting a similar evil — not one located thousands of kilometres away, but an evil just hundreds of meters away, which has sworn to repeat the October 7 attacks again and again and again.

This time, however, the world is not standing by Israel, but instead criticizing its every action, despite its unprecedented efforts in trying to protect the civilians that Hamas uses as human shields. The world is holding Israel to a standard that no Western country would be held to.

The death of any innocent person in a conflict, be it in Gaza or Afghanistan, is indeed a tragedy. Yet, it is a terrible consequence of war, the responsibility for which lies solely with the aggressors who initiated it, not those who are defending themselves.

Instead of applying an impossible standard to Israel, the world needs realism and courage. While the suffering and destruction in Gaza is hard to watch, if the world does not support Israel in winning this war now, it will inevitably lead to further wars later on, and suffering that will only be repeated and intensified.

If these “triple standards” continue to be applied against Israel, then a terrorist army, using human shields, would have gotten away with mass murder. How can any freedom-loving democracy tolerate that outcome?

Justin Amler is a Policy Analyst at the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC).