Israel-Palestine conflict: Joe Biden's moral hypocrisy

The adage "Truth is the first casualty of war," often credited to Senator Hiram Johnson, underscores the intricate dance of deception in conflict. From the timeless lessons of Sun Tzu's The Art of War to contemporary analyses, communication serves as a potent weapon. War isn't merely a physical confrontation but a psychological contest. Propaganda often distorts reality, amplifying victories while minimising defeats. These emotional tugs can obfuscate truths, underscoring the need for discernment in wartime narratives, where perceptions can flip. 

In Middle Eastern geopolitics, President Joe Biden's approach raises eyebrows. He leans heavily on Israeli narratives, inadvertently placing Israelis and Palestinians on uneven grounds. While his rhetoric champions moral high ground, certain actions suggest otherwise.

After the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israeli targets, Biden announced to the world a harrowing tale, that he had seen "confirmed images of" Hamas "terrorists beheading children." The story stemmed from an Israeli journalist who said she heard that Hamas had beheaded 40 babies during their operations. Figures like JK Rowlings and major news outlets in the UK and US propagated the story, sparking global outrage. However, later findings contested these initial reports. On October 12, CNN's Sara Sidner retracted her prior report, stating Israel could not verify the beheadings. Despite these clarifications, Biden staunchly supported Israel, endorsing its aggressive military campaigns in Gaza. 

Historical perspective

Sir Gerald Kaufman, a Jewish-British politician, emphasised the importance of understanding the Israel-Palestine conflict's origins. He highlighted the differing values placed on lives within the conflict and mentioned Israeli acts of violence against Palestinians. Speaking about Israel's formation, Kaufman stated that Jewish terrorism gave birth to Israel. He cited the 1948 Deir Yassin massacre, where the Irgun and Stern gang took the lives of 254 civilians.

The US closely aligns with Israel's stance, labelling Hamas as a terrorist organisation. However, Israel once backed Hamas to counter the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) that sought independence. Successive US administrations have primarily supported Israel because of power dynamics, frequently overlooking the historical background.

In response to Palestinian protesting Israeli actions, US officials often declare, "Israel has the right to defend itself," implying Palestinians do not have this right. On the issue of democracy in Palestine, the US' stance appears inconsistent. When Hamas won the Palestinian elections, the US' commitment to fostering democracy in the region decreased.

With strong US backing, Israel intensified its military operations for the nth time, resulting in 3,500 civilian casualties. 

Kaufman poignantly pointed out the differentiation the US makes between Jewish and Palestinian lives, stating, "The implication is that Jewish lives are precious, but the lives of Palestinians do not count." Such distinctions have ramifications in real-world policy decisions and their subsequent effects on the ground.

Pattern in media manipulation

Global protests erupted after Israeli strikes reduced Gaza to rubble and escalated after the blast at Al-Ahli Hospital, which caused the cancellation of a summit in Amman with key Middle Eastern leaders. Israel's military claimed that the hospital's destruction was the result of an errant rocket from Islamic Jihad, a Hamas affiliate, rather than their own airstrike. Without a proper investigation, President Biden announced he favours the Israeli version of this story. 

Mohamad Elmasry of the Doha Institute identifies a pattern: Israel often denies involvement in controversial actions, places blame on Palestinians, and only admits fault when undeniable evidence surfaces, and global focus has shifted. Cases involving Shireen Abu Akleh, Rachel Corrie, and Mohammad Al-Durrah illustrate how Israel's side of events is frequently upheld by Western media, sidelining Palestinian perspectives.

This behaviour aligns with the US' historical dependence on flawed or dubious intelligence to justify foreign interventions. Historic instances include the Bay of Pigs Invasion's failure, the Cuban Missile Crisis' misinterpretations, the questionable Gulf of Tonkin Incident, the covert Iran-Contra affair, relying on fabricated testimony for congressional approval for the 1990-91 Iraq War, initiating the "war on terror" before completing the 9/11 investigation, and leveraging fabricated intelligence to justify the 2003 Iraq invasion.

Imperative for dialogue and policy amnesia

Kaufman's views on peace negotiations were clear: "You make peace by talking to your enemies." He acknowledged, "Hamas is a deeply nasty organisation, but it was democratically elected, and it is the only game in town." Emphasising this perspective, world leaders, including President Biden, should understand that dialogue, not military dominance, paves the path to peace. Columbia University professor and eminent historian Rashid Khalidi also underscored the importance of peaceful dialogue, resolution, and justice in addressing the Israel-Palestine conflict.

The US' present Middle East stance contradicts George Washington's principles of American foreign policy. In his 1796 farewell, Washington, without personal bias, advised the nation to practise "good faith and justice toward all nations" and to avoid strong biases for or against other countries. He believed a nation's "habitual fondness or hatred" towards another made it "a slave" to those feelings, potentially causing it to act against its own interests. Washington warned that favouritism in foreign relations could lead to a nation becoming involved in another's conflicts and making biassed concessions. Today, this slavery of the US appears in its preferential treatment of Israel and discrimination against Muslim Arab nations, particularly the Palestinians, displaying an amnesia of Washington's vision of equal justice for all nations.

The recent US policy reveals a concerning moral inconsistency. President Biden's comments have damaged the country's reputation on the Palestinian issue and alienated the Muslim community. He should embrace Washington's advice and treat both Israelis and Palestinians with genuine empathy and fairness. 

Biden's approach to the Palestinian issue will significantly sway the Muslim/Arab voters, particularly in crucial states like Michigan. At the same time, numerous Jewish Americans, evident in recent protests, push for peace and challenge Israel's actions. Both Muslim and Jewish communities are urging America to maintain a balanced position.

Mohammad A Auwal is a professor of Communication Studies at California State University, US.

Views expressed in this article are the author's own.

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