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Western “civilization” exposed for its colossal ruthlessness

Western “civilization” exposed for its colossal ruthlessness

Last updated on: February 7, 2024 at 5:11 pm by Kathryn Shihadah

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Western “civilization” exposed for its colossal ruthlessness 2024-02-07T17:11:21-05:00 Kathryn Shihadah

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Western "civilization" brings devastation to our family's neighborhood. Blocks and blocks of civilian homes in the Nuseirat refugee camp were systematically demolished.

Western “civilization” brings devastation to our family’s neighborhood. Blocks and blocks of civilian homes in the Nuseirat refugee camp were systematically demolished.

Western “civilization” has been on display in all its gory (not a misspelling) for the past four months, with no end in sight. It’s shameful beyond words. The allegedly civilized societies of the United States, Europe, and the de facto Western nation of Israel have demonstrated their priorities – and it is not a good look.

Those of us – on both sides of the aisle – who buy into the “West is best” paradigm need to do some serious soul-searching.

The president of our dear ally Israel said in a December interview with MSNBC,

“This war is a war that is not only between Israel and Hamas. It’s a war that is intended, really, truly, to save Western civilization, to save the values of Western civilization.”

It’s a stroke of genius, this statement – what better way to get the adoration of powerful nations than to declare you are actually fighting for them, for their noble way of life against the Savages?

“We are attacked by Jihadist network, an empire of evil, emulating from Tehran with its forks in Lebanon with Hezbollah, with Hamas in Gaza, with the Houthis in Yemen. This empire is in Iraq, and this empire wants to conquer the entire Middle East. And if it weren’t for us, Europe would be next, and the United States follows.”

So much packed into these sentences: an unmistakable message that Palestinians are part of the great Axis of Eastern Evil – those brown people who have set their sights on destroying not just Israel, but all white nations. A “jihadist network” that collaborates to destroy Christian and Jewish civilization. No one in such a network could have modest or peaceful goals, like for example ending a century of oppression and occupation by a settler colonial entity in order to live in peace and prosperity for the first time in generations.

When the West is up against jihadists, we are in a fight for our survival. We, the pure of heart, certainly did not deserve to be attacked. “They hate us because we are free/Christian/Jewish/prosperous.”

So, what has this righteous, Western ally nation done lately in service to the enlightened world? And what have its equally righteous allies – especially deep-pocketed America – done to help?

A very partial list

Israel has killed at least 28,000 people in Gaza – the vast majority are women and children – including by dropping 2,000-pound bombs on densely populated areas (NYT: “During the first six weeks of the war in Gaza, Israel routinely used one of its biggest and most destructive bombs in areas it designated safe for civilians”)

Israel has caused injury to at least 67,000 in Gaza – while simultaneously destroying the healthcare sector, bombing ambulances, blocking the entrance of medical supplies (even oxygen), thus preventing the injured from getting help. Children have had limbs amputated without anesthesia. Even premature babies have been denied basic needs, and some have died.

part of Nuseirat, Gaza

Israel has severely limited the entrance of humanitarian aid to Gaza, including food and water, to the point that Gaza is now entering a point of mass starvation – a totally avoidable famine. (Read about the experience of my relatives in Gaza here.)

Over sixty percent of Gaza’s housing units have been damaged or destroyed, while seventy-five percent of Gaza’s residents are displaced – a massive number of them will have no home to return to after the war. Experts say this is the most destructive war in recent history.

Displaced Palestinians have been squeezed into a small area of southern Gaza – over half the population is crammed into a corner of the small enclave – where they have little shelter from the winter weather, almost nothing to eat, no clean water to drink or practice basic hygiene. All of this is causing outbreaks of diseases that threaten to become epidemics. At the same time, the people are helplessly waiting, like fish in a barrel, for an almost certain invasion by Israeli forces that would have disastrous consequences.

THIS.

This is how Israel is “saving” Western civilization from barbarism.

The United States is an active participant in this epic atrocity. Our United Nations ambassador has vetoed ceasefire resolutions; our president and secretary of state have turned a blind eye to Israel’s crimes

We have acquiesced to Israel’s calls to de-fund Gaza’s main humanitarian organization because of unproven, inconsequential allegations (effectively speeding up Gazan starvation) – and stood staunchly by Israel’s side as it was accused – with plenty of credible evidence – of nothing less than genocide.

Perhaps most egregious of America’s actions – using our tax dollars, mind you – is the billions in military aid we have provided, in spite of our own laws that forbid it. Biden and Blinken have even gone behind Congress’ back twice to get more weapons to Israel for use against Gaza.

In sum, the US has chosen to aid and abet a cruel, genocidal state in its fight against an impoverished state, half of whose population are children.

How is it that we and Israel are the Good Guys? How are we the civilized ones?

If this is what Western “values” are about, do we deserve to prevail?

We are the terrorists.

I invite you to subscribe to my newsletter. I write about the Palestine-Israel issue regularly, and other issues relevant to progressives or those considering becoming progressive. If you would like to comment on this post, please pop over to my Facebook page. All of my posts are there and open to constructive comment. I welcome your thoughts.

Contact the people in Washington DC who (allegedly) work for you and tell them, “ENOUGH. CEASEFIRE NOW. NO MORE WEAPONS TO ISRAEL. STOP THE GENOCIDE. NOW – OR YOU’RE FIRED.”

Reach your Representative here, and your Senator here. Email President Biden here.

Posts about my Gazan family (in chronological order):

Further reading on the Palestine-Israel issue:

General Christian

About Kathryn Shihadah

I was raised as a conservative Christian, and was perfectly content to stay that way – until the day my stable, predictable world was rocked. A curtain was pulled back on conservative Christianity, and instead of ignoring the ugliness I saw, I confronted it. I began to ask questions I never thought I’d ask, and found answers I’d never expected. Old things began to fall away, and – behold! – the new me has come. What a gift to be a new, still-evolving creation. I found out that it’s better to look at the world through Progressive Lenses, with Grace-Colored Glasses. You can read more about the author here.

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