West’s stand on Gaza, indifference to suffering, anger Global South

Israeli soldiers stand next to an armoured personnel carrier as they hold a position near Sderot on the border with the Gaza Strip on October 25, 2023, as battles between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement continue (AFP Photo)

Attempts by the US to equate Israel with Ukraine and project its fight as a defence against those trying to annihilate them have led to widespread outrage in the Global South.

Anger is also mounting over the indifference of the US and European countries to the suffering of the people in Gaza while they mobilise support for Ukraine.

The Global South collectively refers to developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Most of them have a long list of grievances against developed countries because of their indifference to the problems of the Global South.

The situation in West Asia and the attitude of the rich countries have turned into a new rallying point for developing nations. India, a leading member of the Global South, has tried to strike a more balanced approach to the ongoing conflict and has called for peace.

But the lack of concern in the West over the plight of the Palestinians in the face of relentless pounding by the Israeli army and the acute humanitarian crisis in Gaza have only deepened the anger in the Global South.

The attack by Palestinian militant outfit Hamas on Israel on October 7 killed 1,400 people. In response, the Israeli army has killed about 4,000 Palestinians in Gaza and elsewhere.

Not the same situation

Israel also demolished most buildings in Gaza and until recently, had cut off the supply of water, electricity, food, medicines and other necessities to the Palestinians. It wants to destroy Hamas and free the 150 hostages (some of whom have been released) from hideouts in Gaza.

Israel has forced people to leave their homes and take shelter elsewhere as its army prepares for a ground assault in the Gaza Strip.

In a speech last week, US President Joe Biden tied support for Ukraine and Israel together, describing both nations as democracies fighting enemies determined to “completely annihilate” them.

However, most countries in the Global South fail to see how the two situations are the same. Russia invaded and annexed territory in Ukraine. The Palestinians have been under Israeli occupation for decades and living in the two enclaves – the West Bank and the Gaza Strip – in misery.

Most developing countries don’t condone Russia’s action in Ukraine. However, they refused to join the sanctions imposed by the West on Moscow or isolate it internationally. They see the Ukraine issue as part of a proxy war between the US and Russia.

Similarly, most countries in the Global South didn’t support the Hamas attack on Israel and the killing of innocent people. But they are also aghast at Israel’s counterattack and its support from the US and European nations.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who governs the world’s most populous Muslim nation and does not recognise Israel, condemned “the ongoing injustices against the Palestinian people.”

Biden, secretary of state Anthony Blinken, and defence secretary Llyod Austin visited Israel soon after the Hamas attack to show solidarity. The US also supplied Israel with fresh weapons and stationed its aircraft carrier and warships in West Asia to deter Iran and others from joining the war against Israel.

The US also vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution that called for an immediate cessation of violence and a return to negotiations to ensure that Israel had a free hand in Gaza.

Arab countries including Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia have strongly criticised the US’ partisan approach to the conflict. Biden’s attempt to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and other Arab leaders failed since none of them were willing to meet him.

Disappointment with the West

In recent years, the Global South’s disappointment with the US and European countries has increased because of their indifference to the plight of the poor and developing world.

This was apparent during the Covid-19 pandemic when the West refused to share its huge stockpiles of vaccines with the poor and dying people in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Similarly, when the US and its allies continued to drum up support for Ukraine and supply it with finance and weapons against Russia, no help was extended by them to countries that suffered from the effect of the war.

There was an economic crisis and high inflation in developing nations because of the disruption in the supply of food, energy, fertilisers and other essential items due to the Ukraine conflict. But hardly any help came from the rich countries, which continued to support the war and aggravate the distress in the Global South.

In September, under India’s presidency of the G20 summit in New Delhi, developing countries succeeded in bringing important issues of the Global South to the front and centre and ensured support from the developed countries.

However, if the chasm between the two sides had narrowed, the West’s silence on Gaza has once again widened it.