the West is falling over itself to condemn Iran's non-deadly attack but ignores Israel's civilian massacres.

this can't be real life anymore.

Good day, spectators.

Firstly, want to apologise for sending you two emails this week but things are happening quickly and there is a lot of stuff that needs to be talked about. Today, we’re talking about sickening, Orwellian hypocrisy.

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Last night, Iran launched a missile attack targeting military installations in Israel, sending millions into bomb shelters and marking a significant escalation in the ongoing regional conflict. While talking heads in the international community fell over themselves condemning this retaliation, what’s apparent to most is the hypocrisy, specifically when juxtaposed with the tumbleweeds we’ve seen surrounding Israel's repeated military actions in Palestine and more recently Lebanon. In those countries, the bodies pile up, international law is flouted and at some point we all have to ask ourselves: why are our leaders rushing to denounce Iran's non-deadly retaliation while failing to hold Israel accountable for its ongoing genocide? Frankly, it’s embarrassing.

standards? moral consistency? who needs those?

If you somehow are unsure about what I am referring to here, let me illustrate: over the past year, there have been indiscriminate airstrikes on hospitals, schools and refugee camps in Gaza and now in Lebanon. Israel has consistently engaged in disproportionately aggressive warfare that has led to thousands and thousands of civilian casualties. And not only that, infrastructure destroyed, and entire communities left in ruins—all justified under the guise of ‘self-defense.’

In stark contrast, the moment Iran retaliated with a missile attack to protect its sovereignty and those it considers its allies, the Western international community could not wait to be the first ones to condemn it. Western leaders, parroting the same lines, failed to acknowledge the much wider context of Israel’s actions and the suffering endured by Palestinians and Lebanese civilians. The discrepancy is not just alarming; it’s a glaring double standard that puts on full display the political motivations driving these reactions.

Keir Starmer tells the world ‘we all stand with Israel’ (spoiler: we don’t)

While Israel’s military operations are often sold to us as necessary measures against terrorism, Iran's missile attack, which aimed at military targets and killed no one, is labelled as reckless aggression. This selective outrage, which is clear for all to see, raises an important question: why?

the world’s biggest non secret: lobbying

To understand the double standard, we must look at the powerful influence of Israeli lobbyist groups like AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) and Labour Friends of Israel. These organisations stick their fingers in local politics and help to shape the narratives surrounding the Middle Eastern conflict in both the US and UK.

They achieve this by pouring bags of money into political campaigns via ‘campaign donations’ and then ask for favours in return, these groups ensure that pro-Israel sentiments remain dominant in political discourse. As a result, this we have an environment where criticism of Israel is often stifled, while any action taken by nations like Iran is met with immediate condemnation. Believe me when I say that these people would shill for Iran if Iran was paying them to do so.

This manipulation of political narratives creates a disconnect between what leaders advocate and what the public believes. Many Brits and Americans will have been looking at their screens and shouting ‘No!’ when their leaders came out of the woodwork to declare their steadfast support of Israel and harsh condemnation of the ‘evil’ Iran. It’s very jarring to see your elected officials saying things you know to be false about your country.

Are our leaders truly representing the will of the people, or are they catering to special interest groups that benefit from maintaining the status quo?

*sighs*

The hypocrisy is nothing new. It’s simply a reflection of a deeper flaw in how global powers engage with conflicts in the Middle East. While Iran's missile attack was met with swift condemnation, the ongoing violence perpetrated by Israel is normally pushed to the sidelines or, rationalised or just ignored outright.

As the world watches, we must hold our leaders accountable for their actions and ensure that they represent the values we espouse, rather than catering to the interests of powerful lobbying groups. Only by confronting this disgrace to democracy can we hope to foster a more honest and peaceful future for everyone.

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