Public opinion, Western gov’ts diverging
By Emad
Abshenas
Middle East affairs expert
In recent days, particularly on Sunday, significant marches and large gatherings have taken place in Western countries, showing support for the oppressed people of Gaza. Participants in these marches called for an end to the war and the killing of unarmed Gaza residents. These large-scale protests indicate that the global public sphere is no longer under the control and exclusive influence of Israeli media and Western lobbies. Non-mainstream media and social networks have transformed into tools that break the monopoly on information dissemination.
Western nations initially created the virtual space as a tool for spreading their culture and hegemony in other countries. However, it now seems that this virtual space has turned against them, exposing their falsehoods and unfounded claims. Supporters of the Palestinian people, including Palestinians themselves, have successfully challenged the dominance of Western media, which supports Israel, and conveyed their message of suffering, along with images of Israel’s crimes, to the entire world.
Naturally, people across the world do not accept this mass killing by Israel for any reason. Although Western governments support Israel, public opinion worldwide opposes the killing of innocent civilians and violations of international law. The systematic massacre in Gaza is a blatant violation of human rights and human dignity and touches the heart of every human being.
Public awareness about what is happening in Gaza is being raised, and the contradictory approaches of Europe and the United States in dealing with this war are being revealed. So, Western policymakers should reconsider their policies since people have lost trust in their positions. These policymakers need to understand that their unwavering support for Israel does not benefit them anymore. If this trend of support continues, they and their parties might face defeat in future elections.
If we look at the votes recently cast in the United Nations General Assembly regarding the condemnation of the massacre in Gaza, the phenomenon of abstention becomes noteworthy. Most European countries that support Israel abstained from voting, while very few opposed it. Diplomatically, abstaining from a vote is considered a form of positive support. This demonstrates that the positions of Western policymakers regarding Israel are gradually changing.
In the past few weeks, we witnessed strong stances taken against Israel in the European Parliament, as well as cries of protest against Israel in the parliaments of European countries and even in the US Congress. Some American senators, including Bernie Sanders, raised objections because they believed Israel’s heinous acts, under the leadership of Netanyahu’s hawkish cabinet, would lead to global hatred against the Jews, and the Jewish people would have to pay for the warmongering policies of Netanyahu’s cabinet.
All of these signs indicate that, unlike the past, the world and its events are no longer interpreted and analyzed according to the wishes and views of Western mainstream media, which support Israel. People worldwide are concerned and upset about what is happening in Gaza, and this global outcry against the mass killings of the people of Gaza is heard from the streets of Washington, London, Paris, and Berlin.
If there is a Western statesman who listens, they should know that it is time for them to stop squandering their credibility and prestige by blindly supporting Netanyahu’s crimes and to see the reality as it is. The world is taking a stand against Israel’s atrocities and so should they.