As Israel ramped up its attacks on Iran over the weekend, the Guardian carried an article with a headline that captured the stomach-turning essence of Western support for Israel’s genocidal project: “Strikes on Iran ease pressure on Israel to end starvation in Gaza.” The author of the piece, Emma Graham-Harrison, elaborated on the point in the text of her article: “Even governments that have become more openly critical of [Benjamin] Netanyahu’s war in Gaza will be reluctant to press for its end while missiles from Tehran are killing people in Tel Aviv.”
Imagine a Cosa Nostra mob boss who is belatedly facing scrutiny from the authorities after his henchmen have spent the past year planting bombs in hospitals and school playgrounds. He decides to start a war with a rival gang by assassinating their leader and blowing up one of the restaurants they own. When his enemies retaliate, as he knows they will, the city mayor and the local police chief announce that they won’t be taking any action over the school bombings, because now is not the time to be causing trouble for such an important personage. They conclude their statement with a solemn affirmation of their belief in Cosa Nostra’s right to defend itself.
The forces operating in Gaza have absorbed the message loud and clear. After a series of massacres in which they gunned down defenseless civilians near food collection points, Israeli soldiers carried out their bloodiest attack to date on June 17, killing dozens of people and injuring hundreds more. Eyewitnesses described a scene of horror to Ahmed Aziz of Middle East Eye: “Body parts were scattered across the streets.”
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Auteur: Daniel Finn
