Shared Values of Oppression: Western Colonialism and Israel’s Occupation of Palestine

Phalapoem editor, 25/01/2025

The ongoing Israeli occupation of Palestine, particularly the events surrounding Gaza, is marked by systemic oppression, land theft, genocide and dehumanization. These features are not unique to Israel; they echo the colonial histories and contemporary practices of many Western governments. This shared ideological framework helps explain the West’s complicity in Israel’s actions, its suppression of pro-Palestine movements, and its glaring double standards in addressing the human rights of Palestinians.

Common Features: Land Theft, Supremacy, and Dehumanization

The cornerstone of Israel’s occupation is the ongoing theft of Palestinian land. From the Nakba in 1948 to the annexation of the West Bank and the siege of Gaza, Israel’s territorial expansion mirrors the colonial land grabs undertaken by Western powers throughout history. Settler-colonialism, whether in the Americas, Australia, or Africa, has always relied on the dispossession of indigenous peoples, underpinned by a narrative of racial or cultural supremacy.

This supremacy manifests in Israel’s treatment of Palestinians as expendable, their rights negotiable, and their humanity ignored. Western governments, too, have long dehumanized those they seek to dominate—be it enslaved Africans, indigenous populations, or communities in the Global South subjected to imperial interventions. The dehumanization of Palestinians, then, is not an aberration but a continuation of a long history of viewing certain peoples as obstacles to progress or security.

Complicity in Genocide

Western complicity in Israel’s actions, including genocide in Gaza, is rooted in strategic and ideological alignments. Israel is often viewed as a Western outpost in the Middle East, a bulwark against regional powers that challenge Western dominance. This geopolitical utility makes Western governments unwilling to criticize Israel, let alone hold it accountable for violations of international law.

Furthermore, Israel’s actions align with a global trend among Western governments of prioritizing state security over human rights. The framing of Palestinians mirrors the way Western powers justify their own violence against marginalized groups. Whether it’s drone strikes in the Middle East or crackdowns on indigenous resistance movements, the West and Israel share a common rationale: violence is justified when it serves the interests of the powerful.

Suppression of the Pro-Palestine Movement

Western governments have gone to great lengths to suppress pro-Palestine movements, from criminalizing protests to censoring criticism of Israel under the guise of combating antisemitism. This suppression stems from a fear that these movements expose the hypocrisy of Western democracies. The pro-Palestine movement highlights the double standards of nations that claim to champion human rights while supporting or ignoring Israel’s violations.

Moreover, these movements threaten to disrupt Western narratives about Israel as a democratic state and an ally in the fight against “extremism.” Acknowledging the legitimacy of Palestinian resistance would force Western governments to confront their complicity in decades of suffering, something they are unwilling to do.

The Double Standard on Hostages

The Western response to the hostage situation further illustrates its bias. Thousands of Palestinians, including children, languish in Israeli prisons, often without trial or due process. Their plight is met with silence. In stark contrast, the capture of Israeli hostages by Palestinian groups prompts urgent international mobilization and outrage.

This disparity is not accidental. It reflects a deeply entrenched view that Israeli lives are more valuable than Palestinian ones. By ignoring Palestinian hostages, Western governments tacitly endorse Israel’s systemic violence while erasing the humanity of those who resist.

The shared values of land theft, supremacy, and dehumanization tie Western governments to the Israeli occupation. Their complicity in Israel’s actions is not only about geopolitics but also about maintaining systems of power that have long marginalized the oppressed. The suppression of pro-Palestine movements and the indifference to Palestinian suffering are symptoms of a broader unwillingness to confront the legacies and continuities of colonialism.

However, history has shown that such systems of oppression are not invincible. As global solidarity with Palestine grows, the cracks in this complicity will become harder to ignore. The fight for justice and freedom in Palestine is part of a larger struggle against the systems that dehumanize and dispossess, and it will continue to inspire movements around the world.

About Admin

Youth's poetry ignites my quest, Against oppression, I protest. In Palestine's struggle, voices rise, For freedom, peace, justice, my cries.
This entry was posted in Gaza, Illegal Israeli settlements in Palestine, Massacres & genocides, News from the apartheid, Palestinian art & culture, Phalapoem editor and tagged , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

One Response to Shared Values of Oppression: Western Colonialism and Israel’s Occupation of Palestine

  1. Admin says:

    Criminals are protected by criminals. Period.

Comments are closed.