Arab countries have long accused the West of a double standard when it comes to them. They cry foul every time the rules-based order has been violated.
When a caricature that negatively depicts Muslims and the Prophet Mohammad is published in France, the Arab world says this would not be tolerated if the subject were another. Yet, the French government claims this is fair game because of free speech. When Arab audiences listen to Western coverage denouncing the Wagner Group, they cannot but draw parallels to Blackwater and the atrocities they have committed and wonder whether U.S. audiences also pick up on this.
These are old arguments that many have tired of hearing.
Perhaps the Arab world has gotten too much in the habit of relativism or victimizing themselves whenever the opportunity arises? Maybe they have to effectively grow up and come to terms with the idea that this is just the way things are, that world politics is, after all, driven by interests and that “might is right”? Probably.
For its part, the West shouldn’t brush off Arab anger lightly, not because they should care about Arab feelings or sentiment but for the very same reason; their interests.
There are numerous reasons why the West has been losing its regional footing over the past two decades. While many believe this is all part of a grand strategy on the part of adversaries like China and Russia, it is the West’s own approach to the region that is probably a main driver for it. That there are accepted and unaccepted forms of occupation, good and bad mercenaries, or good and bad nuclear weapons, were contradictions that undermined the West’s credibility and the rules-based order.
To many in the region, the West’s response to the latest violence in Palestine represents the final nail in the coffin of both, with long-term and perhaps irreparable consequences.
When Israeli leaders publicly announce they will cut off water and electricity from Gaza, the Arab world expect that (at least) some more balanced leaders, such as the European Commission’s President Ursula von Der Leyen, might condemn such actions given that exactly a year ago, she described similar Russian actions against Ukraine as acts of “pure terror.” They are shocked to find that she is not only silent but also supporting and enabling Israeli actions.
It is either that the West does not recognize the contradiction in their approach, that they think they are taking the Arab world for a ride or that they simply don’t care.
It may not matter either. The result is the same; the continued move towards a new global order.
The post-globalization era that is emerging is one of increasing fragmentation and bifurcation between the West and the rest of the world and it will impact almost every facet of life. Multinational retailers believed to be financial donors to Israel or those operating in illegal Israeli settlements stand no chance of surviving in multiple countries where they operate across the region. Students from around the world will look elsewhere to pursue their higher education when they hear leaders such as Donald Trump and Ron De Santos effectively say they would ban foreign students showing solidarity with Palestine from studying in the U.S. in the future. Even technology ecosystems will not be spared as numerous supporters of Palestine are shadow banned or prevented from posting on Meta-owned platforms such as Instagram.
In periods like this when major powers are on a war footing and lost amidst a war frenzy, reason and wisdom become scarce because these voices become suppressed.
Anyone who speaks up is immediately ostracized, accused of being a terrorist or a terrorist sympathizer. Even a number of retired Israeli military and security leaders who have shown the courage to speak out have come under attack.
It is reminiscent of the period in the lead up to the U.S. invasion of Iraq when George W. Bush shared his overly simplified worldview, “you’re either with us or against us.” To put this into context, this was when American restaurants were renaming “French Fries” to “Liberty Fries” and throwing away French wine because France (uncharacteristically, it must be added) was against the impending invasion.
Two decades later, it turns out those muted and reasonable voices were right. After trillions of dollars spent and millions of lives lost, including countless Americans, the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan and Iraq with little to show for aside from enabling the rise of powers that challenged their post-Cold War hegemony.
Does the West always need to suffer its way to wisdom? It may be too late for them this time around; irreparable damage has already been done.
Image: Streets of Berlin
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