Western Morality: 'Never Again' (Except When There's Profit to Be Made)
The claim that the 'Gaza genocide has shattered the myth of Western morality' implies a myth existed in the first place. Did it? Washington, London, and Berlin have consistently prioritized geopolitical interests—and defense contractor profits—over human rights, especially when involving Israel. Recall President Reagan's administration vetoing UN resolutions condemning Israel's 1982 invasion of
Lebanon, which included the Sabra and Shatila massacres. That massacre, described by Robert Fisk, among others, involved thousands of Palestinian and Lebanese civilians. Today, the U.S. continues to greenlight weaponry. The Biden administration, for instance, approved over 100 separate military sales to Israel since October 7, 2023, totaling billions. (OpenSecrets.org shows AIPAC spent over $15
million lobbying in 2023, while various pro-Israel PACs funneled millions more into congressional campaigns.) So, when pundits gasp at our newfound moral poverty, one might ask: what exactly was the golden age of Western morality they're suddenly mourning? Was it the Nakba (1948)? The ethnic cleansing that created Israel? Or some other 'minor' historical inconvenient truth?