Further Examples of International Hypocrisy…writes Michael Kuttner
Most of us know by now that the international community represented by the discredited United Nations employs a double standard when it comes to dealing with Israel.
Michael Kuttner
It is not only the usual undemocratic suspects who are guilty but also nations which should know better and instead prefer to lead in displaying their hypocrisy towards the Jewish State. Mindless mantras are repeated ad nauseum, even when those politicians involved are fully aware that what they are advocating, alleging and accusing, is total nonsense, not correct and merely a repetition of previously failed policies. The worst part of course is the double standard employed when it comes to dealing with Israel as compared to other nations. In most cases this is so blatant that the comparisons leap out at you the moment statements are uttered. The average Israeli citizen is well prepared for the almost daily barrage of pontifical like pronouncements so that when they are reported in the media one can almost hear a collective yawn rather than excited agitation. There are those who still become convoluted by rage at the stupidity of politicians & media commentators, local and foreign, but basically the chorus of “eytzis” givers is a signal to switch off.
Sometimes, however, the examples of double standards and hypocrisy are too obvious and outrageous to be ignored. Two such incidents have taken place within the last few weeks and deserve to be discussed and their idiocy exposed to the full glare of common sense and critical analysis.
The first concerns the recent visit to the United Kingdom of the Argentinean President. As everyone knows, Argentina has for many years claimed that the Falkland Islands belongs to them. This territory, not far off the coast of Argentina has been colonized by the British for over 200 years. During the years of the Margaret Thatcher Government, Argentina invaded what it calls the Malvinas and Britain in response sent an armada to wrest it back. After a brief war in which casualties were suffered by both sides, the Argentinean forces were expelled and the British reclaimed this territory. Argentina has never renounced its claim and during the visit of the President to London its intention of eventually getting it back within the next 20 years was reiterated. The British Government had arranged a meeting at which representatives of the local population on the Falklands would be present. On learning about this, the Argentineans promptly cancelled their meeting and stated that they would not attend if illegal settlers were present.
The furious reaction by William Hague, the British Foreign Secretary, is an instructive lesson of how double standards & hypocrisy looms large in the Foreign Office and no doubt 10 Downing Street. Mounting his high moral horse and employing his best public school voice, Mr. Hague burst forth to condemn the very notion that anyone else other than the United Kingdom could contemplate being the rightful owners of the Falklands. He then went on to make this amazing statement…” the settlers on the Falklands have been there for 200 years and it is inconceivable that they should be uprooted and removed. Moreover they will shortly be participating in a referendum and I have no doubt that they will vote almost 100% to remain British…. “He then reiterated that it was disgraceful for Argentina to continue making claims to this last outpost of the British Empire. Of course he did not use the word Empire, but let’s face a fact, that is what he meant. The hypocrisy is overwhelming. This same person on behalf of the British Government demands that Jews who have returned to Judea & Samaria, territory inhabited by their ancestors for 3,000 years and the heartland of the Jewish State, be ethnically cleansed & deported so that the Palestinian Arabs can establish yet another terrorist entity in our midst. He has the gall to call it “occupied” when at the same time he supports the British settler occupation of a hunk of territory thousands of kilometers from the United Kingdom. Israeli spokespersons and Jewish leaders worldwide should be making forceful pronouncements to highlight this double standard. I suspect however that they together with the British Jewish establishment will prefer to remain silent and mute.
The second blatant example of international hypocrisy was the intervention of French & other forces in Mali. The stated aim is to eliminate the All Queda terrorists threatening to take over that country. This is a most worthy objective and the French should be applauded for actually acting and not waiting for the UN to do something. As we can see from the Syrian civil war and North Korea’s defiance of the UN, that organisation is impotent. So where are the double standards? Israelis cannot help noticing that France is one of the leaders in condemning Israel’s ongoing war against the same terrorists in Gaza and elsewhere. France and others continually demand that Israel talk to those whose declared aims are our elimination and in addition when we do take similar action as in Mali we are accused of using disproportionate force and being guilty of war crimes. Mali is a very long way from France, yet Gaza, Lebanon and Syria are right on our doorstep. The so called misnamed West Bank is not even on our doorstep – it is right inside our home. Once again we should be shouting from the rooftops.
These two examples are only the latest in a long line and no doubt there will be many more in the days, months and years ahead. We should not be shy to state the obvious when they occur because silence will only lead to even more hypocrisy, all at our expense.
The reference to the Faulkland Islands is historically inaccurate. The Islands were not inhabited by Argentinians and thus the comparison with West Bank is erroneous .
You’re absolutely right, Michael Kuttner. People like you articulate the situation so clearly, so simply, and yet the blindness and hypocrisy continue on regardless. The Israeli Government should create a new Knesset post singularly related to debunking myths and false stories that continue to morph into truths, also with the purpose of immediately and cogently exposing these kinds of hypocrisies that occur regularly and are ongoing. An active Jewish organisation could be set-up in each country with Jewish population, linked to the Israeli government portfolio, and with combined effort these ridiculous occurrences could be countered with indefatigable, ruthlessly clear articulations, every time and immediately. The hypocrisy is ridiculous when examined with clear eyes, but no less dangerous for the double standards that are forever being employed against Israel. All of this is a kind of war, and an insidious one. We need more than the IDF to battle this one.
Silence is dangerous.
You are perfectly correct, MIchael. I would, however, like to augment your article by mentioning that highly esteemed calphate aspirant, Turkey. It invaded Cyprus in 1974, ethically cleanse Greeks from the northern half of the island and imported its own mainland natives. All illegal under UN rules and the Geneva Conventions. While Israel is accused of vilations, Turkey wages an aggressive war (“67 was defensive), it expelled people on the basis of ethnicity while Israel didn’t and Israel is condemned for allowing people to voluntarily return to the Jewish homelands while none criticise the Turks. Further, the attempted breaking of a legitimate blockade by Turkish alQaida affiliates led to a rupture in relations and Israel’s condemnation by the international community. There is complete silence though of Turkey’s blockade of Armenia in retaliation for Armenia’s war against Azerbaijan to regain the province of Ngorno-Karabakh. The war had nothing to do with Turkey. The blockade is to show solidarity with a Turkic and mohammedan people. And the world says nothing, absolutely nothing.