Europe Double Standard On Pro-Palestine Protests
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Hashim Sheikh
- . November 3, 2023
- . Update: November 3, 2023 3:23 pm
Europe’s glaring double standards on pro-Palestine protests and Israel’s atrocities and war crime shows that the EU stands up for only one group of people. Human Rights Watch called out the European Union’s double standards on human rights.
Tirana Hassan, the executive director of Human Rights Watch, says this could erode the bloc’s legitimacy in the Global South. “The EU risks developing a reputation where it says one set of rights applies to a certain group of people –people close to Europe – and another set of rights applies to people outside. That will undermine European leaders and the EU’s legitimacy in the eyes of many countries in the Global South.”
She pointed out that European institutions rallied behind the Ukrainian people. “We saw the entire arsenal of tools to protect human rights being mobilized, including allowing refugees into Europe.” However, this hasn’t been the same for other crises and conflicts in the world.
Turkey Slams Europe for Indifference
Hakan Fidan, Turkiye’s Foreign Minister, called out Europe’s double standard – preventing pro-Palestinian rallies in some EU countries. “Those who allow attacks on our holy book, the Quran, under the guise of freedom of expression are blocking those who want to protest the brutal killings of civilians in Palestine. “If we cannot stop Israel from killing civilians in Gaza, how can we protect civilians in Ukraine? This is an unacceptable double standard.”
The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan slammed the EU for failing to call a ceasefire in Gaza. He accused the West of indifference toward the suffering of Muslims. “How many more tons of bombs must fall on Gaza before the United Nations Security Council can take action?”
Erdogan said Israel’s attacks on Gaza have reached the level of massacre, and the international community’s silence was a shame on humanity. He reiterated the need for a permanent solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
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Like the US, Europe also shares an unconditional and one-sided relationship with Israel. Alicia Kearns, the chair of the UK Foreign Affairs Select Committee, believes there are a possibility of a third intifada and the Gaza crisis of 2003. “We should be worried because what happens in Palestine and Israel impacts around the world.”
In July, Kearns urged Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to appoint a Middle East Peace Envoy following Israeli raid on the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. And earlier in March, she had asked Sir Philip Barton whether the UK has the right posture towards Israel. “I, for my part, feel that we have failed to be a critical friend. We have a very close and important security friendship but we have yet to adopt that critical one.” Kearns found the agenda of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government concerning.
