A Year On for Gaza, Decades Backward for the US and Western Liberalism

Western Values Under Siege

Since the events of 7th October, the Western world, led by the United States, has dramatically deviated from the core principles it has long claimed to champion: freedom, democracy, human rights, and international law. The escalating Israeli-Palestinian conflict has not only compromised these ideals but outright trampled upon them. The West’s blind allegiance to the Israeli state has resulted in the disregard of its continuous and egregious violations of human rights. Western technology – from military equipment to drones and bombs – plays a significant role in this assault, highlighting the West’s complicity in Israel’s campaign of destruction against Palestinians and, more recently, civilians in Lebanon[^1][^2].

A New Low in Western Complicity

This complicity is not a new phenomenon but has now reached shocking new lows. The United States, Israel’s foremost partner in this violence, has seen its global credibility plummet to an all-time low[^3]. Rivals such as China and Russia, along with significant parts of the Muslim world, now view America as a discredited power whose actions consistently contradict the democratic values it professes to uphold. Even its own allies, from Europe to members of the Quad, increasingly cooperate with the US out of fear rather than trust, exposing the fragile and fractured nature of the current international order[^4].

Active Enablers of Israeli Crimes

The recent conflict has exposed the stark reality that Western powers are not neutral arbiters of peace and human rights but rather active enablers of Israel’s military dominance and oppression of Palestinian lives. This extends beyond political support to include the very weapons used in these acts of brutality. US-made fighter jets, drones, bombs, and other forms of military technology have devastated Gaza and now Lebanon. These instruments of war have targeted civilian homes, schools, and hospitals, decimating entire neighbourhoods and claiming thousands of innocent lives. Despite clear violations of international law, the West remains conspicuously silent – or worse, complicit[^5][^6].

Allegations of War Crimes

Allegations of Israeli war crimes are widespread, with reports of grotesque acts committed against Palestinian detainees. A recent documentary by Al Jazeera exposed the horrific case of an Israeli soldier forcing a Palestinian man to strip naked, lie on the ground, and endure an orchestrated assault by a dog, with the victim sprayed with a substance to attract the animal. This dehumanising act, captured on film, represents just one of many unimaginable atrocities committed under Israeli occupation – atrocities that the West, in its silence, has effectively condoned[^7][^8]. The very civilisation that once prided itself on Enlightenment values – liberty, human dignity, and the rule of law – is now guilty of standing by as those ideals are desecrated.

The Erosion of Western Ideals Since 9/11

The aftermath of 9/11 marked a pivotal shift in how the West, particularly the United States and the United Kingdom, approached their values on the global stage. In the name of national security and counterterrorism, fundamental principles were sacrificed. The invasion of Iraq in 2003 stands as one of the clearest examples, where false claims of weapons of mass destruction were used to justify a brutal invasion that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands, destabilised the Middle East, and ultimately paved the way for the rise of extremist groups like ISIS[^9].

Guantánamo Bay, a symbol of Western hypocrisy, represents another glaring example of moral compromise. Individuals suspected of terrorism were held without trial, subjected to torture, and denied basic human rights – all under the guise of security[^10]. The United Kingdom, a vocal advocate of human rights, was implicated in its own scandals, including involvement in extraordinary rendition and the torture of detainees. In both instances, the West abandoned its ideals, choosing convenience and dominance over the principles it claimed to defend.

The Decline of American Legitimacy

America’s role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, along with its actions since 9/11, has irrevocably damaged its standing on the world stage. The perception that the US is a force for good, a protector of democracy and human rights, has been replaced by the view that it is an imperial power, indifferent to the suffering of marginalised peoples, particularly in the Muslim world[^11]. This perception extends beyond the Middle East; for instance, the greatest democracy in Asia, India, has also been implicated in causing death and destruction, particularly against its minority populations. Furthermore, the greatest democracy in the West has witnessed increasing unrest, as its own citizens are incited to fight against their government, while the greatest democracy in Western Europe fosters violence against minorities, highlighting a troubling trend across various democracies.

This is not lost on America’s rivals or allies, who now see their cooperation with the US as a transactional necessity rather than an alliance built on shared values. China and Russia, in particular, have capitalised on America’s loss of legitimacy, positioning themselves as alternative power brokers in a multipolar world[^12]. Meanwhile, countries within the Muslim Ummah, historically coerced into cooperation with the US due to economic or military dependence, increasingly view their alignment with America as a form of subjugation. The illusion of a strong international order favouring the US is disintegrating, as the fractures of mistrust and resentment become more apparent with each passing conflict.

The Moral Decline of Western Civilisation

The West, once hailed as the cradle of democracy and human rights, now finds itself at a critical juncture. Its complicity in the suffering of the Palestinian people, alongside a long history of hypocrisy and double standards, has exposed the moral decay at its core. While the Western world preaches freedom, it practises suppression. It calls for democracy while supporting authoritarian regimes, as long as they align with its geopolitical interests. It speaks of human rights, yet remains silent in the face of undeniable atrocities committed by its allies[^13].

In its current state, Western civilisation is undeniably on its last legs. The veneer of righteousness has worn thin, revealing a system propped up by force and fear rather than respect and trust. As nations around the world begin to reject the West’s narrative, it is clear that a reckoning is imminent. The principles the West once held dear – liberty, justice, and equality – now seem like hollow slogans, unsupported by meaningful action[^14]. The future of global power dynamics will be shaped by the crumbling legitimacy of a West that has failed to live up to its own ideals.

Afghanistan was a fatal blow to the US politically, economically, and militarily. Gaza will no doubt be the final nail in the coffin of Western leadership both in the region and the world. This opportunity should not be wasted by Muslims. Muslims should continue to intellectually present the Khilafah system as the only way to settle chaos in the Middle East. Muslims should also encourage their relatives in the armed forces to carry out regime change in their lands to establish a sincere leadership that will not only rid the Muslim world of colonial rulers but also put an end to occupation and Western hegemony.

[^1]: Human Rights Watch. (2023). World Report 2023.  

[^2]: Amnesty International. (2023). Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories Report 2023. 

[^3]: Al Jazeera. (2023). Global perceptions of the US hit new low.  

[^4]: The Guardian. (2023). US allies’ trust in American leadership falls. 

[^5]: BBC News. (2023). US military aid to Israel.  BBC News

[^6]: The Intercept. (2023). How US weapons are used in Gaza.

[^7]: Al Jazeera. (2023). Documentary on Israeli war crimes.  

[^8]: Human Rights Watch. (2023). Israel: Apparent War Crimes in Gaza.  

[^9]: The New York Times. (2023). The impact of 9/11 on American foreign policy.  

[^10]: The Guardian. (2023). Guantánamo Bay: A symbol of US hypocrisy. 

[^11]: Foreign Affairs. (2023). America’s Waning Influence. 

[^12]: The Diplomat. (2023). US-China Rivalry in the Indo-Pacific. 

[^13]: The Atlantic. (2023). The Decline of Western Values. 

[^14]: Foreign Policy. (2023). The End of Western Hegemony.