Why do so many liberals on Quora defend the genocide of Gaza even though according to the newest Gallup poll 75 of Democrats dont approve of what Israel is doing ?
In March 2024, Josep Borrell, the leader of EU foreign policy, made the following statement about Gaza:
“a graveyard for tens of thousands of people and also a graveyard for many of the most important principles of humanitarian law.".
The situation may be far more dire. I fear it may become the graveyard of liberalism.
Thirty years ago, liberalism was the lead chariot in the advancement of the liberal democratic project. New democracies were forming in Europe; the Soviet Union had disintegrated, Russia was undergoing transition, the Berlin Wall had fallen, and South Africa's apartheid regime was crumbling. China also demonstrated signs of transformation.
Liberal democracy seemed impervious, both in practice and in principle. It seemed to lack genuine competition, as it distinguished itself as a successful and ethical system of governance.
Ask any knowledgeable liberal arts student, and they will articulate that liberalism is a political and philosophical ideology focused on the tenets of individual liberty, equality, and limited government.
They will highlight that it underscores the safeguarding of individual rights and liberties, encompassing freedom of expression, religion, and assembly, in addition to the rule of law and democratic governance.
Liberalism endorses a market-based economy characterized by private property rights, free commerce, and minimum government intervention while simultaneously calling for social welfare programs to mitigate disadvantages and provide equal opportunity for all individuals.
Liberalism advocates for pluralism, tolerance, and diversity, striving to establish communities in which individuals can pursue their interests and live according to their own beliefs without excessive state intrusion.
Liberalism fundamentally embodies a dedication to the rule of law and the protection of human rights.
It appears remarkable, so what's the problem, you might be asking?
Observers of the "plausible genocide" over the past 11 months, devoid of a propaganda perspective, have witnessed an organized degradation of liberal norms and ideals. The situation in Gaza has shown Western hypocrisy and double standards, profoundly unsettling liberals to their core.
Undoubtedly, the most influential lobby in the world is compromising the rule of law, human rights, and a rules-based order. Pro-Israeli lobbying has hijacked the majority of Western liberal democracies.
The global community is now aware of the unabashed exploitation by Western politicians, as previously chronicled in Congressman Paul Findley's 1985 publication, They Dare to Speak Out, and further substantiated by the 2007 work, The Israel Lobby and US Foreign Policy, authored by political scientists John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt.
An anonymous commentator stated:
“People think Gaza is occupied, but in reality, Gaza is free, but the whole world is occupied.”
Liberal elites and leaders, who previously supported free speech and declared "Je suis Charlie" in solidarity with the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo following the terrorist attack that resulted in 12 fatalities at its Paris offices in 2015, are now advocating for the suppression of free speech.
By a vote of 377-44-1, the US House passed a resolution declaring that the slogan "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" is antisemitic and requires condemnation. Of course, the statement is neither frightening nor condemnable when "Palestine" is replaced with "Israel," as evidenced by numerous Israeli proponents and the Likud manifesto.
In an unprecedented move, the University of Southern California revoked the opportunity for its Muslim valedictorian, Asna Tabassum , who minored in genocide studies, to deliver her address due to alleged threats from pro-Israeli organizations. They referenced ambiguous "security concerns."
I thought the idea was to never give in to what are clearly "terrorist" demands.
To make matters worse, the institution, in an unusual move, subsequently canceled all remaining speakers and honorary doctorate presentations during the convocation. Where are the "Je suis Asna" calls from liberal leaders and institutions?
Hundreds of students and faculty at Columbia, Yale, and New York University have been arrested peacefully (according to the police chief) while protesting against the massacres perpetrated by Israel. Approximately 200 predominantly Jewish demonstrators were arrested outside Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s residence in Brooklyn, where they convened for the seder, a ritual commemorating the second night of the Passover holiday, observed as a celebration of freedom by Jews globally. No mobilization for free speech by liberal elites was seen anywhere.
Advocates of freedom of expression are now prohibiting the keffiyeh, the traditional Palestinian headdress, because it is making some people uncomfortable. The Ontario legislature banned the headdress, forcing a scheduled meeting between legislators and pro-Palestinian demonstrators to occur outside the legislative buildings due to the activists wearing their keffiyehs.
Of course, Israeli military dog tags, Israeli flags, and other political symbols are not political in the same manner.
In numerous European countries, the situation is similar.
Who believed that liberalism was so fragile and susceptible to manipulation by those aiming to undermine it for their own illiberal objectives, including advocating for ethnic cleansing by Israel's ethno-nationalist and racist state?
Following the mass atrocities of the Second World War and the Holocaust, the newly established liberal world order instituted human rights treaties and humanitarian laws to ensure that such massacres and abuses would "never again" recur.
The Second World War led to the establishment of the United Nations and the drafting of the international bill of human rights, which mandated that "every state recognise the equal right of every individual on its territory to life, liberty and property, religious freedom, and the use of his own language."
The bill consisted of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights.
The Geneva Conventions of 1949 were also enacted to enhance the legal protection of non-combatants, medical staff, medical facilities, and equipment, as well as wounded and sick civilians.
Liberals claim these advances, but we are currently watching war crimes, crimes against humanity, and "plausible genocide," according to the International Court of Justice, live-streamed to our devices.
If liberalism fails to provide a moral and ethical framework for governance, then what good is it? What then is the utility of big declarations, pronouncements, and treaties?
If liberalism doesn't show any resolve, ability, or desire to protect civilian life, regional stability, a country's national interests, and global order in the face of an unprecedented attack on a confined civilian population by a Western colonial implant and ally, then its claims of principles and competence fall apart.
Liberal thinkers have consistently claimed moral superiority by advocating for fairness, regardless of its alignment with Western interests. Why is the Israeli situation different? When blind allegiance is the exclusive or predominant factor, what distinguishes liberalism from tribalism?
When global security and safety are compromised for the sake of friendship and similarity, what remains of the West's claim of authority as a political and military guardian of a rules-based international order?
Might and dominance can be mistaken for right; yet, it is essential to recognize that marginalized groups, the oppressed, and colonized populations may determine that their only choice is to resist by all means necessary, with revolution being a probable outcome.
Even domestically, history has proven that societies that combine responsiveness to the will of their people with strong protection for individuals and minority groups are in the best position to achieve a flexible and sustainable balance among these competing forces.
We can only hope and pray (I wonder if we are still permitted to do so?) that this is merely a glitch or malfunction, and liberal elites and intellectuals will wake up from their slumber and remind liberal politicians that the fundamental purpose of the liberal democratic project is at risk of collapse.
It is nearly too late, although a glimmer of hope remains.
The response of liberal elites to Gaza, as well as their efforts to preserve any remaining credibility, will determine the legacy of liberalism.
Liberals must uphold their convictions or forever bear the burden of disgrace.