A WEIRD timing Guðbjörg Lára Másdóttir og Aldo Marchiano Kaligis skrifa 23. nóvember 2023 12:00 Over the recent weeks, several leaders from the WEIRD (White/Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Developed/Democratic) world have expressed criticism for Israel's indiscriminate attacks in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). On 10 November 2023, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo characterized Israel's actions in Gaza as "disproportionate." French President Emmanuel Macron echoed this sentiment on 11 November, stating that there was "no justification" for the bombings and saying a ceasefire would benefit Israel while recognizing Israel's right to protect itself. On 15 November 2023, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called on Israel to halt the "indiscriminate killing of Palestinians" in Gaza. The following day, Iceland Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir said she was "horrified by the ongoing civilian deaths in Gaza" and condemned all breaches of international humanitarian law. Despite the apparent solidarity, it's crucial to scrutinize the context and actions accompanying these condemnations. Unlike non-WEIRD leaders who swiftly condemned Israel's disproportionate retaliatory actions following the 7 October 2023 Hamas' Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, statements from WEIRD leaders surfaced almost two months later. In contrast, on 8 October 2023, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim urged Malaysians to "unanimously back" the Palestinian cause. Indonesian President Joko Widodo urged "the immediate end of war and violence" just three days after Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, on 12 October 2023, advocated for a "durable peace that produces a viable Palestinian State." Consequently, the timing of the condemnations from WEIRD leaders appears notably delayed and ill-timed. Denunciations recently made by a handful of WEIRD leaders also came after numerous acts that displayed unwavering support for Israel's atrocities, which, in turn, exacerbated Israel's overboard use of force against Palestinians. In a joint statement published on 9 October 2023, President Macron of France, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and United States of America (US) President Joe Biden declared that they "support Israel in its efforts to defend itself and its people against such atrocities." The joint statement was followed by the UK abstaining and the US rejecting and vetoing a UN Security Council resolution on 18 October 2023 that would have condemned Hamas' attack on Israel, calling for a pause in the fighting to allow humanitarian assistance into Gaza, and legally bind all UN Member States, including Israel. On 27 October 2023, the UN General Assembly passed a non-binding resolution, calling for an immediate "humanitarian truce" between Israel and oPt and demanding aid access to Gaza. This time, Germany, Italy, and the UK abstained, while the US voted against the resolution. In an unsurprising move, a considerable number of WEIRD countries either refrained from voting or opposed the resolution, including Australia, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, the Netherlands, and Sweden. On 15 November 2023, a UN Security Council resolution was passed, calling for "urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and corridors throughout the Gaza Strip" to allow for aid delivery and medical evacuations, which the UK and the US abstained from. However, the resolution made no mention of a ceasefire and omitted Israel's retaliatory air strikes and ground offensive in Gaza, which currently have led to more than 1.6 million people being displaced in Gaza, and the death toll has surpassed 13,000, most of whom are Palestinians. Further, none of the condemnations made by WEIRD leaders addressed concerns that what Israel is doing against the Palestinians may amount to genocide. Under Article 6 of the Rome Statute, genocide is "acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group." Since 7 October 2023, statements from Israeli officials have raised suspicions of genocidal intent towards Palestinians. On 9 October 2023, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant referred to the Palestinians as "human animals." In the ICTY's Prosecutor v. Radislav Krstic case, the use of derogatory terms towards the targeted group was considered evidence of genocidal intent, as seen in cases like the Rwandan genocide, where Tutsis were labeled as "cockroaches," and during the Holocaust, when Jews were termed a "cancer." Additionally, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said on 13 October 2023 that "an entire nation" is responsible for Israel's retaliations and insinuated that Palestinian households possessed missiles. Defending Israel's offensive strategy, Herzog argued, "When you have a missile in your goddamn kitchen, and you want to shoot it at me, am I allowed to defend myself?" On 29 October 2023, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu invoked the biblical story of Amalek to justify the killing of Gaza residents. Referring to the Holy Bible in 1 Samuel 15:3, Netanyahu stated, "Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and donkey." The Prosecutor v. Casimir Bizimungu case in the ICTR highlighted that even if a speech lacks an explicit appeal to commit genocide, it may still constitute direct incitement to genocide in a specific context as long as the speech is not considered ambiguous. Lastly, the condemnations appear notably hypocritical, especially considering the direct involvement of WEIRD countries in the alleged genocide. On 9 October 2023, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak declared the UK's commitment to offering "diplomatic, intelligence, or security support," leading to the subsequent deployment of P8 aircraft, surveillance assets, two Royal Navy ships, three Merlin helicopters, and a company of Royal Marines on 13 October 2023, aimed at providing deterrence and assurance. On 12 October 2023, Germany agreed to Israel's request to utilize two Heron TP combat drones. In a more recent development, on 3 November 2023, the US House of Representatives approved a plan allocating US$14.5bn in military aid for Israel. In conclusion, the recent condemnations by WEIRD leaders concerning Israel's actions in the oPt should be viewed within the broader context of their delayed responses, historical support for Israel, and the absence of addressing potential genocidal concerns. While these leaders express criticism, their actions, including political and military support and abstentions from critical UN resolutions, raise questions about the consistency and sincerity of their stance. Viltu birta grein á Vísi? Sendu okkur póst. Senda grein Átök í Ísrael og Palestínu Ísrael Palestína Bretland Sameinuðu þjóðirnar Bandaríkin Ástralía Kanada Danmörk Holland Svíþjóð Frakkland Þýskaland Malasía Indónesía Spánn Ríkisstjórn Katrínar Jakobsdóttur Mest lesið Fögnum á degi líffræðilegrar fjölbreytni Rannveig Magnúsdóttir,Ragnhildur Guðmundsdóttir,Skúli Skúlason,Ole Sandberg,Sæunn Júlía Sigurjónsdóttir Skoðun Neyðarástand í boði Seðlabankans og ríkisstjórnarinnar Ásthildur Lóa Þórsdóttir,Inga Sæland Skoðun Forvarnir gegn ofbeldi: Samfélagsátak í upphafi skólaárs Alfa Jóhannsdóttir Skoðun Gulldrengir Landspítala (Ekki KSÍ): Sönn saga um spillingu Sigurlaug Guðrún Kristjánsdóttir Skoðun Það er komið að okkur! Friðjón R. Friðjónsson Skoðun „Það eru allir með ADHD“ Tómas Páll Þorvaldsson Skoðun „Áhrifavaldar“ og „Sauðirnir“ sem fylgja þeim Guðmunda G. Guðmundsdóttir Skoðun Gjaldfrjálsar skólamáltíðir fyrir öll börn á Íslandi - nú þarf að vanda til verka Guðrún E. Gunnarsdóttir,Laufey Steingrímsdóttir,Ludvig Guðmundsson Skoðun Bjartsýnt og betra samfélag Svandís Svavarsdóttir Skoðun ADHD og Sköpunargáfa: Leyndarmál Skapandi Framfara: Steindór Þórarinsson Skoðun Skoðun Skoðun Neyðarástand í boði Seðlabankans og ríkisstjórnarinnar Ásthildur Lóa Þórsdóttir,Inga Sæland skrifar Skoðun Forvarnir gegn ofbeldi: Samfélagsátak í upphafi skólaárs Alfa Jóhannsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Bjartsýnt og betra samfélag Svandís Svavarsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Það er alltaf von: Samtökin ‘78 styðja Píeta Bjarndís Helga Tómasdóttir skrifar Skoðun Lítil grein um stóran sáttmála Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson skrifar Skoðun Það er komið að okkur! Friðjón R. Friðjónsson skrifar Skoðun Nýtt viðhorf í húsnæðismálum Kjartan Helgi Ólafsson skrifar Skoðun Fór út fyrir umboð sitt Hjörtur J. Guðmundsson skrifar Skoðun „Áhrifavaldar“ og „Sauðirnir“ sem fylgja þeim Guðmunda G. Guðmundsdóttir skrifar Skoðun „...nema sveitarstjórnir og lögregla“ Kristín Magnúsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Sjónarhornið er það sem skiptir mestu Anton McKee skrifar Skoðun Ég er eins og ég er Sólveig Sigurðardóttir skrifar Skoðun Brúin yfir Fossvog Sigurður Oddsson skrifar Skoðun Kominn tími til að laga lýðræðishallann og skapa traust til stjórnmálanna Magnea Marinósdóttir skrifar Skoðun Var jafnrétti í heiðri haft af ráðherra jafnréttismála? Erna Guðmundsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Má fjársýslan semja við Rapyd? Gunnar Már Gunnarsson,Sindri Kristjánsson skrifar Skoðun Gulldrengir Landspítala (Ekki KSÍ): Sönn saga um spillingu Sigurlaug Guðrún Kristjánsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Byggja upp eða pakka? Gerður Gestsdóttir Valgerðardóttir skrifar Skoðun Loftslagsaðgerðir í sátt við líffræðilega fjölbreytni Rannveig Magnúsdóttir, Guðrún Schmidt skrifar Skoðun Oft er ekki nægjanleg mönnun til þess að sinna félagslífi/tómstundum Atli Már Haraldsson skrifar Skoðun Verði ykkur að trú ykkar! Vangaveltur um stóra kirkjugarðsmálið Gunnar Jóhannesson skrifar Skoðun Ráðvilltur ráðgjafi ríkisstjórnar Ásgeir Daníelsson skrifar Skoðun Ímyndaðu þér að þú sért átján ára stúlka... Stella Samúelsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Hvað eiga lýðræði og hátíðarhöld sameiginlegt Bryndís Haraldsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Stjórnartíðindi 150 ára Svavar Kjarrval skrifar Skoðun Í skólabyrjun Dagbjört Harðardóttir,Sigurjón Már Fox skrifar Skoðun „Það eru allir með ADHD“ Tómas Páll Þorvaldsson skrifar Skoðun Sannleikurinn um Evrópusambandið I - Öryggi, velferð og lífsgæði, sem margir átta sig ekki á Ole Anton Bieltved skrifar Skoðun Aftur að hjálmskviðu ríkislögreglustjóra Indriði Stefánsson skrifar Skoðun Svar við bréfi Ernu Ragnar Sigurður Kristjánsson skrifar Sjá meira
Over the recent weeks, several leaders from the WEIRD (White/Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Developed/Democratic) world have expressed criticism for Israel's indiscriminate attacks in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). On 10 November 2023, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo characterized Israel's actions in Gaza as "disproportionate." French President Emmanuel Macron echoed this sentiment on 11 November, stating that there was "no justification" for the bombings and saying a ceasefire would benefit Israel while recognizing Israel's right to protect itself. On 15 November 2023, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called on Israel to halt the "indiscriminate killing of Palestinians" in Gaza. The following day, Iceland Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir said she was "horrified by the ongoing civilian deaths in Gaza" and condemned all breaches of international humanitarian law. Despite the apparent solidarity, it's crucial to scrutinize the context and actions accompanying these condemnations. Unlike non-WEIRD leaders who swiftly condemned Israel's disproportionate retaliatory actions following the 7 October 2023 Hamas' Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, statements from WEIRD leaders surfaced almost two months later. In contrast, on 8 October 2023, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim urged Malaysians to "unanimously back" the Palestinian cause. Indonesian President Joko Widodo urged "the immediate end of war and violence" just three days after Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, on 12 October 2023, advocated for a "durable peace that produces a viable Palestinian State." Consequently, the timing of the condemnations from WEIRD leaders appears notably delayed and ill-timed. Denunciations recently made by a handful of WEIRD leaders also came after numerous acts that displayed unwavering support for Israel's atrocities, which, in turn, exacerbated Israel's overboard use of force against Palestinians. In a joint statement published on 9 October 2023, President Macron of France, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and United States of America (US) President Joe Biden declared that they "support Israel in its efforts to defend itself and its people against such atrocities." The joint statement was followed by the UK abstaining and the US rejecting and vetoing a UN Security Council resolution on 18 October 2023 that would have condemned Hamas' attack on Israel, calling for a pause in the fighting to allow humanitarian assistance into Gaza, and legally bind all UN Member States, including Israel. On 27 October 2023, the UN General Assembly passed a non-binding resolution, calling for an immediate "humanitarian truce" between Israel and oPt and demanding aid access to Gaza. This time, Germany, Italy, and the UK abstained, while the US voted against the resolution. In an unsurprising move, a considerable number of WEIRD countries either refrained from voting or opposed the resolution, including Australia, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, the Netherlands, and Sweden. On 15 November 2023, a UN Security Council resolution was passed, calling for "urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and corridors throughout the Gaza Strip" to allow for aid delivery and medical evacuations, which the UK and the US abstained from. However, the resolution made no mention of a ceasefire and omitted Israel's retaliatory air strikes and ground offensive in Gaza, which currently have led to more than 1.6 million people being displaced in Gaza, and the death toll has surpassed 13,000, most of whom are Palestinians. Further, none of the condemnations made by WEIRD leaders addressed concerns that what Israel is doing against the Palestinians may amount to genocide. Under Article 6 of the Rome Statute, genocide is "acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group." Since 7 October 2023, statements from Israeli officials have raised suspicions of genocidal intent towards Palestinians. On 9 October 2023, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant referred to the Palestinians as "human animals." In the ICTY's Prosecutor v. Radislav Krstic case, the use of derogatory terms towards the targeted group was considered evidence of genocidal intent, as seen in cases like the Rwandan genocide, where Tutsis were labeled as "cockroaches," and during the Holocaust, when Jews were termed a "cancer." Additionally, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said on 13 October 2023 that "an entire nation" is responsible for Israel's retaliations and insinuated that Palestinian households possessed missiles. Defending Israel's offensive strategy, Herzog argued, "When you have a missile in your goddamn kitchen, and you want to shoot it at me, am I allowed to defend myself?" On 29 October 2023, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu invoked the biblical story of Amalek to justify the killing of Gaza residents. Referring to the Holy Bible in 1 Samuel 15:3, Netanyahu stated, "Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and donkey." The Prosecutor v. Casimir Bizimungu case in the ICTR highlighted that even if a speech lacks an explicit appeal to commit genocide, it may still constitute direct incitement to genocide in a specific context as long as the speech is not considered ambiguous. Lastly, the condemnations appear notably hypocritical, especially considering the direct involvement of WEIRD countries in the alleged genocide. On 9 October 2023, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak declared the UK's commitment to offering "diplomatic, intelligence, or security support," leading to the subsequent deployment of P8 aircraft, surveillance assets, two Royal Navy ships, three Merlin helicopters, and a company of Royal Marines on 13 October 2023, aimed at providing deterrence and assurance. On 12 October 2023, Germany agreed to Israel's request to utilize two Heron TP combat drones. In a more recent development, on 3 November 2023, the US House of Representatives approved a plan allocating US$14.5bn in military aid for Israel. In conclusion, the recent condemnations by WEIRD leaders concerning Israel's actions in the oPt should be viewed within the broader context of their delayed responses, historical support for Israel, and the absence of addressing potential genocidal concerns. While these leaders express criticism, their actions, including political and military support and abstentions from critical UN resolutions, raise questions about the consistency and sincerity of their stance.
Fögnum á degi líffræðilegrar fjölbreytni Rannveig Magnúsdóttir,Ragnhildur Guðmundsdóttir,Skúli Skúlason,Ole Sandberg,Sæunn Júlía Sigurjónsdóttir Skoðun
Neyðarástand í boði Seðlabankans og ríkisstjórnarinnar Ásthildur Lóa Þórsdóttir,Inga Sæland Skoðun
Gjaldfrjálsar skólamáltíðir fyrir öll börn á Íslandi - nú þarf að vanda til verka Guðrún E. Gunnarsdóttir,Laufey Steingrímsdóttir,Ludvig Guðmundsson Skoðun
Skoðun Neyðarástand í boði Seðlabankans og ríkisstjórnarinnar Ásthildur Lóa Þórsdóttir,Inga Sæland skrifar
Skoðun Kominn tími til að laga lýðræðishallann og skapa traust til stjórnmálanna Magnea Marinósdóttir skrifar
Skoðun Gulldrengir Landspítala (Ekki KSÍ): Sönn saga um spillingu Sigurlaug Guðrún Kristjánsdóttir skrifar
Skoðun Loftslagsaðgerðir í sátt við líffræðilega fjölbreytni Rannveig Magnúsdóttir, Guðrún Schmidt skrifar
Skoðun Oft er ekki nægjanleg mönnun til þess að sinna félagslífi/tómstundum Atli Már Haraldsson skrifar
Skoðun Sannleikurinn um Evrópusambandið I - Öryggi, velferð og lífsgæði, sem margir átta sig ekki á Ole Anton Bieltved skrifar
Fögnum á degi líffræðilegrar fjölbreytni Rannveig Magnúsdóttir,Ragnhildur Guðmundsdóttir,Skúli Skúlason,Ole Sandberg,Sæunn Júlía Sigurjónsdóttir Skoðun
Neyðarástand í boði Seðlabankans og ríkisstjórnarinnar Ásthildur Lóa Þórsdóttir,Inga Sæland Skoðun
Gjaldfrjálsar skólamáltíðir fyrir öll börn á Íslandi - nú þarf að vanda til verka Guðrún E. Gunnarsdóttir,Laufey Steingrímsdóttir,Ludvig Guðmundsson Skoðun