The Israeli Kettle and the Russian Pot
Feb 27, 2022
Ukrainian civilians fit their weapons to repel Russian forces in Kyiv, Ukraine on Saturday. Mikhail Palinchak /AP
Israel has no right to criticize Russia. A country that has more than once acted exactly like Russia, going wild, has no right to criticize aggression and invasion. A country that had imposed violent occupation for more than 50 years cannot criticize a three-day occupation.
Russia’s
justification for an invasion, the propaganda and the
lies, seem taken from Israel’s playbook every time it
invaded Gaza or Lebanon. Israel always feels threatened,
just like Russia, and both deny the national rights of the
people it occupies. The Ukrainians are not a people, and
neither are the Palestinians. Israel has an ancestral
right to the West Bank, and Russia has a similar right to
Ukraine – and in the eyes of both, this means the
mendacious right to sovereignty. The demonization is also
similar: The Ukrainians are Nazis, the
Palestinians are terrorists; these are both propaganda
lies.
The
comic relief in this accursed war was provided by Foreign
Minister Yair Lapid: “The Russian attack on Ukraine is a
serious breach of international order,” he said. Lapid, it
seems, feels no shame in those words. Could it be that his
self-awareness has run so low, or perhaps it’s cynicism,
hypocrisy and double standards that have reached new
heights?
Either
way, the international order according to Israel is very
flexible. A Russian invasion of Ukraine is obviously a
breach of international order. In contrast, Israel’s
invasion of Lebanon and occupation 18 years ago is
international order at its best. International order is
frequent invasions of Gaza, not to mention the obvious
international order in which Israel controls another
people and holds by force occupied territories for
decades, contrary to the position of all international
institutions, in fact, of the whole world.
The
world opposes and is shocked by the invasion of Ukraine.
It opposes and is shocked no less by Israel’s occupation.
The fact that Israel thumbs its nose at decisions by
the international community places it in the same
category as Russia and denies it the right to criticize.
The difference: Russia will apparently become a pariah and
be penalized by harsh sanctions. Israel has never been
punished for its aggression and has paid no price for
ignoring the decisions of the international community.
The
right-wing in Israel is now criticizing the West, which is
not offering assistance to Ukraine. Did Israel ever
imagine helping another country in wartime, except sending
field hospitals, always a nice photo-op? Are there any
Israelis who would agree to their young people fighting
for Ukrainian justice? If not, how can we demand this of
American, French or German parents?
The
attitude in Israel to violent opposition to occupation
screams with double standards. The actions of the
Ukrainian people against occupation are not only
legitimate, they are even heroic. No one imagines
criticizing a young Ukrainian who throws a Molotov
cocktail at a Russian tank. Israel will cheer, as that
youth deserves. That young person is a hero and a patriot.
And what about the young Palestinian who does the same thing? He
of course should be killed, he was born to kill innocent
Jews, he’s an animal, cruel and despicable. Why does the
Israeli heart go out to the Ukrainian refugees and the
victims of horror and fear there but is indifferent to the
suffering
and the fear in Gaza and the expulsion of Palestinians who
are refugees?
Russia has promised that it does not intend to occupy Ukraine and will only strike military targets. That sounds frighteningly familiar. Russia demands the demilitarization of Ukraine and the replacement of its regime. Aren’t that exactly what Israel demands from Gaza before it embarks on another round of unintentional killing of hundreds of children? Even the support for the war in the Russian media is reminiscent of something. And after all this, Israel should join the world and condemn Russia? How?
https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-the-israeli-kettle-and-the-russian-pot-1.10637729
