NOT IN OUR NAME: THE POLITICAL KILLING OF WESTERN HUMANITARIANISM & HUMAN RIGHTS

When Russia conducts indiscriminate attacks on Ukrainian cities and towns killing many civilians, when it targets Ukraine’s electricity and water infrastructure or blocks its grain exports to further damage its economy, Western politicians talk about war crimes, impose sanctions and increase their humanitarian aid to Ukraine. When Israel levels the Gaza strip, cuts off its water and electricity supplies, kills and maims tens of thousands of civilians, attacks schools, health facilities and ambulances, targets journalists, intellectuals and cultural figures…most (not all) of these same Western governments, stand unconditionally ‘shoulder to shoulder’ with Israel.

Several, like the US, the UK, Germany and the Netherlands, provide Israel with war supplies, in direct violation of their own regulations that prohibit the export of war matériel when it is likely to be used to violate international law. Rutte, still heading that Netherlands’ government, is a prime candidate to become the next NATO chief!

In addition, development aid to the Palestinians is frozen, and funding to several of its human rights organisations indefinitely or permanently suspended. Worse, with man-made famine already occurring in Gaza, many of its donors (including Switzerland, which prides itself on its ‘neutrality’ and ‘humanitarianism’ and is the cradle of the 'Geneva Conventions' imposing constraints on how war can be conducted) suspended funding to UNRWA – simply based on an allegation by Israel that 12 of its many thousands of staff would have participated in the 7 October massacre by Hamas. While legitimate cause of concern, there is no justification for such immediate suspension: The allegation comes from a belligerent who has long wanted UNRWA abolished, who is responsible for the killing of over 150 UN staff, whose government has left no doubt about its ethnic cleansing intentions, and whom the International Court of Justice has warned against genocide. Even if the 12 took part, where else do European governments practice collective punishment for the misconduct of a few? And what about the fundamental presumption of innocence until proven guilty? What now, when even US intelligence assessments have said they cannot verify these allegations and have acknowledged Israel's bias against UNRWA?

After weeks of hesitation, the EU has had the lucidity to decide to continue at least part of its funding for UNRWA while an independent investigation is ongoing. Other European governments still maintain their total suspension, though with a certain worry now - about their potential legal liability of complicity in genocide, more than the actual impact of their suspensions on already starving Palestinians.

Moreover, these are the same governments that have supported the 2005 Responsibility to Protect commitment to prevent?genocide,?war crimes,?ethnic cleansing?and?crimes against humanity. These are the same governments who have been providing financial and political support to civil societies around the world, faced with authoritarian regimes that ‘shrink their space’ – yet now intimidate civil society organisations, including their own, into silence. These are the same governments that -rightfully so- stand against antisemitism, but are unable, or rather, unwilling, to differentiate political Zionism with its settler colonialism, from Judaism. They disregard the many Jews around the world who oppose the current violence of the Israeli government and who support Palestinian rights – considering them ‘antisemitic Jews’ or ‘un-Jews’. These same governments now mumble, once again, about a ‘two-state solution’, knowing very well that Israel’s settlements have killed this long ago, and that Netanyahu explicitly refuses it. Sand in our eyes.

None of this condones Hamas’ 7 October massacre: Its planners and main perpetrators must definitely also be brought to justice. But that massacre does not justify Israel’s revenge mass killing, that now clearly has turned into an opportunity for further ethnic cleansing. On 22 February 2024, Olmert, a former Prime Minister of Israel wrote in the Israeli paper Haaretz: "The supreme aim of the far-right duo National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is not the occupation of the Gaza Strip. Gaza is just the introductory chapter, the platform this gang wants to build as the foundation upon which the real fight they are eyeing will be conducted: the battle for the West Bank and the Temple Mount. The ultimate aim of this gang is "purging" the West Bank of its Palestinian inhabitants, cleansing the Temple Mount of its Muslim worshippers and annexing the territories to the state of Israel.”

Fortunately, not all individuals and organisations in these Western countries are silent. The political leaderships in countries like Spain, Ireland, Belgium and Norway have shown that an ethically clear and norm-based positioning is possible. In the Netherlands, several civil servants of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have resigned. Others hold regular short ‘strikes’ in opposition to their government’s military support for Israel, which it was ordered to halt by a Netherlands’ court after the case was brought by Netherlands’ NGOs. Heads of most UN agencies (sometimes after intense pressure from their own staff) and a range of Western human rights, peace and humanitarian NGOs (and civil servants and some parliamentarians) have issued ‘open letters’ and/or a petition. Several of these are compiled here. For once, the operational principle of 'neutrality' is not interpreted as 'remaining silent' - even in the face of a pattern of atrocities. Note however from which important Western donor countries there are no civil society or NGO signatories - too intimidated, too concerned to lose their government's funding?

“Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere. When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant. Wherever men and women are persecuted because of their race, religion, or political views, that place must - at that moment - become the center of the universe.” Elie Wiesel (Holocaust Survivor)

Not just in the Middle East but around the world, many have been watching the Western countries, the self-proclaimed defenders of a norm-based international order, including international humanitarian law and fundamental human rights. These are also the main funders of international humanitarian aid. Particularly from so many European countries, such blatant double standards come as a shock. Following the criminalisation of NGO search-and-rescue operations of drowning people in the Mediterranean, this is an even harsher blow to Europe’s long-standing humanitarianism and human rights support.

The damage to notably Europe's standing has already happened. Last January, a European colleague went to engage government officials in a Sahel country on the rights of the child. He was laughed at, not because of contempt for the rights of children, but because as a European he was no longer considered a credible voice on ‘rights’.

Is this happening in your name - or not?

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