Orhan Tahir’s Post

The ECR Group’s (European Conservatives and Reformists) efforts to create a global facing EU, extends beyond just trading with nations across the world, but looks towards creating a more democratic, freer world for all. The ECR has placed the plight of persecuted Christians prominently on the EU foreign policy agenda. Around the world the persecution of Christians is on the rise. More than any other group, Christians are a target of religious violence. A long ignored situation by EU foreign policy, ECR Group members were among those who pressed for more action. The ECR Group will continue to fight for more action to help those who are persecuted for their faith. Protecting freedom and human dignity are at the heart of the ECR’s foreign policy aims. The ECR Group continues to ensure that the human rights agenda of the European Parliament respects national interests as well as maximising the collective power of the EU as a whole when it comes to ensuring third countries fulfil their international obligations. The ECR Group has led the way on a number of widely supported resolutions and campaigns regarding the persecution of Christians and the Rohingya people. The ECR Group believes that the EU does not need a centralised foreign policy to bring attention to pressing international issues and have an impact upon human rights violations.

At the UN Human Rights Council 55th session, IJL called for determined action against the global antisemitic surge that followed the October 7 Hamas atrocities – in all its forms, including calls delegitimizing Israel’s existence. The horrendous attack carried out by Hamas on October 7, including the brutal torture and slaughter of entire families and over 250 individuals taken hostage, has instantly ignited a global surge in antisemitic hate speech and hate crimes. An "Epidemic of Hate." Jewish individuals and communities worldwide are facing threats and verbal and physical attacks. Delivering the statement, IJL’s CEO Hila Kugler Ramot, stressed that calls denying the legitimacy of Israel’s existence serve as a basis for the proliferation of the current outpouring of antisemitism and clearly constitute one of the manifestations of antisemitism. IJL also noted that the silence and ambiguous statements by some UN officials following the October 7 atrocities have fueled the global tsunami of antisemitism. As antisemitism spreads and intensifies, IJL called on all those who cherish human rights to act -  to act determinedly against all forms of antisemitism – including the delegitimization of the Jewish state of Israel; to unequivocally condemn the continued atrocities committed by Hamas; and  to bring about the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages still held in Gaza.   JOIN US AT IJL in combating racism, antisemitism, and the delegitimization of Israel – https://lnkd.in/g3DxpUrr 

The situation you describe raises profound ethical and moral questions about the consistency and sincerity of Western values, particularly regarding human rights, the value of human life, and international justice. Here's a thoughtful response to unpack your concerns: The Western narrative often portrays itself as a champion of human rights, democracy, and the sanctity of human life. These values are upheld in public declarations, laws, and international agreements. However, when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, especially in situations like Gaza, the application of these principles often appears selective, inconsistent, and, at times, hypocritical. Human Rights and Double Standards: The West frequently condemns human rights abuses in some regions while turning a blind eye to others. In the case of Gaza, the disproportionate violence, destruction of hospitals, displacement of civilians, and loss of innocent lives—especially children—highlight a troubling contradiction. When Western weapons are used to perpetuate these acts, it calls into question the authenticity of their commitment to protecting human life. Economic and Strategic Interests: Critics argue that Western nations prioritize economic and geopolitical interests over universal human values. Israel is seen as a strategic ally in the Middle East, and this alliance often leads to muted criticism or outright support, regardless of the actions taken by the Israeli government. The sale of weapons and military aid further deepens this complicity. Erosion of Moral Authority: Actions such as the destruction of hospitals, the targeting of civilians, and the arrest of humanitarian workers not only devastate communities but also erode the moral authority of nations that claim to uphold human rights. If these actions are ignored or justified by the West, it undermines the credibility of their stance on global justice. A Question of Humanity: Your question, "Has the West lost its humanity?" is a reflection of the deep disillusionment many feel when confronted with these realities. The selective application of human rights and the tolerance of such violence make it difficult to reconcile Western rhetoric with their actions—or lack thereof. This inconsistency can appear not just as a failure but as complicity in what many would term inhumane acts. Is it Evil or Inhuman? Evil and inhumanity are strong words, but they resonate with the suffering and injustice faced by the people in Gaza. When hospitals, symbols of healing and hope, are targeted, and when children—the most innocent—are killed, it challenges any claim of moral superiority. The use of Western weapons in these actions further implicates those providing the means for such violence. Final Thought My question reflects a broader frustration shared by many who observe these injustices. It’s not merely about Israel or Gaza but about the failure of powerful nations to live up to the ideals they claim to uphold. This situation

Suppressing Dissent: Shrinking Civic Space, Transnational Repression and Palestine–Israel "In the aftermath of October 7, 2023, the question of Palestine has once again ignited fierce public debate—on social media, in the press, and on university campuses. But beneath the surface of this resurgence lies a deeper trend: the systematic suppression of pro-Palestinian voices and the shrinking of civic space around one of the world’s most enduring conflicts. A new book edited by Carnegie scholars Zaha Hassan and H.A. Hellyer, Suppressing Dissent: Shrinking Civic Space, Transnational Repression and Palestine–Israel, seeks to explore the context and policies that have led to deepening constraints on engagement with pro-Palestinian speech." https://lnkd.in/gSJz4DcJ #Palestine #Israel #FreeSpeech

The United Nations Human Rights Council has passed 62 resolutions condemning Israel. For context, the state with the second highest condemnations is Syria - with 17. To quote the US Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, “When the Human Rights Council treats Israel worse than North Korea, Iran, and Syria, it is the council itself that is foolish and unworthy of its name.” As the Brookings Institution writes, “While Israel’s treatment of Palestinians certainly deserves close scrutiny, it is hard to justify singling it out for such special attention.” The Working Definition of Antisemitism from the The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance includes this example of anti-Semitism:“ Applying double standards by requiring of it a behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation.” The European Parliament has called upon its member states to adopt this definition. 31 countries are full members of the IHRA. So: double standards concerning Israel as shown by the UN? Yes. Ridiculous - and yes, should be stopped.

The histories of the United States and Israel are intertwined through shared themes of displacement, foundational myths, and ongoing struggles for justice. Both nations have engaged in policies that prioritize expansionist goals while marginalizing Indigenous populations. Understanding these parallels is crucial for recognizing how historical injustices continue to shape contemporary conflicts and relationships.The analysis highlights that while both nations may present themselves as champions of democracy and progress, they must confront their histories of oppression to foster genuine reconciliation with Indigenous peoples—whether Native Americans or Palestinians—whose voices remain vital in discussions about justice and human rights today.

With the perversion of Justice against The Jewish People and Israel, there is a need to establish a World Court against Jew Hatred Fifteen years ago I had the honor of meeting Professor Harry Reicher of UPenn Law School at a lecture on the Third Reich's Laws Against the Jews.* Professor Reicher was the leading scholar on how Nazi Germany legalized the anti-Jewish laws(The Germans had the reputation of being a law abiding people) that led up to the Holocaust. Sadly, Professor Reicher passed away in 2014, but with the utter perversion today of the so-called justice system of world bodies for "War Crimes"–The ICC, ICJ, UN as well as the many NGO's that have attacked Israel and sided with her enemies(Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Doctors Without Borders, American Friends Service Committee, et al.), there is a pressing need to fight back with a Court of our own created to fight Jew Hatred. It is time to put these enemies of the Jewish People on the dock for their crimes against Israel and their slandering of the Jewish People. While I have no suggestions for who would be the Chief Judge and Chief Prosecutor, I have a list of defendants that should be indicted. 1. Karim Khan ICC 2. Antonio Guterres UN 3. Director-General of South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation Zane Dangor and South African Ambassador to the Netherlands Vusimuzi Madonsela at the ICJ 4. Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland 5. Anyone who accuses Israel of Genocide Obviously, this is only a start, and there are many more guilty people to be named and indicted and I invite your suggestions. *The German need for law to promote Jew Hatred and other atrocities was described elegantly by Karl Marx –paraphrased "If the Germans would start a revolution in a railway station, they would all have to buy tickets for a train before starting their uprising."

Members of the majority engaged in dissent are treated as patriots with different political views. Minorities who dissent are treated as security and cultural threats deserving of social stigma at best or criminalization at worst. This racialized double standard is most acute for Muslim or Arab Americans when they exercise their free speech rights Among the countless analyses expounding on the strong bond between the U.S. and Israel in policy terms, few examine the relationship between Islamophobia and U.S. policy on Palestine-Israel. Specifically, when Muslims and Arabs in America defend the rights of Palestinians or criticize Israeli state policy, they are often baselessly presumed to be motivated by a hatred for Jews rather than support for human rights, freedom, and consistent enforcement of international law. The resulting harm occurs at the individual and systemic level. Systemically, informed and critical debate about U.S. foreign policy is hampered by censorship campaigns targeting college students, faculty, human rights organizations, journalists, and elected officials. Individually, Muslim and Arab Americans are defamed and effectively excluded from critical public debates pertaining to U.S. policies executed in their names and with their tax funds.

" Unless it changes course, the humanist ideals of its founding will disappear altogether as Israel careens into a darker future, one in which illiberal values define both state and society. Israel is on track to become increasingly authoritarian in its treatment not just of Palestinians but of its own citizens. It could fast lose many of the friends it still has and become a pariah. And isolated from the world, it could be consumed by turmoil at home as widening fissures threaten to break up the country itself. (...) Indeed, many Israelis see their country’s treatment of Palestinians as separate from its functioning as a democracy. Israelis have long tolerated, if not sanctioned, violence by Jewish settlers against Palestinians. In a contravention of international law, Israel subjects Palestinians living under its rule in the West Bank and East Jerusalem to what is in effect martial law. Successive Israeli governments have overseen the expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank, imperiling the future creation of a sovereign Palestinian state. The war in Gaza, where Israeli forces have killed around 40,000 people, according to conservative estimates, has revealed a country that appears unable or unwilling to uphold the aspirational vision in its independence declaration. As many progressives within Israel have long acknowledged, the brutality of the military occupation and the imperatives of being an occupying military power have a corrupting effect on all of Israeli society. Yeshayahu Leibowitz, an Israeli scientist and philosopher, observed “the national pride and euphoria” that followed the Six-Day War, in 1967, and saw a darker turn ahead. That celebration of country, he warned in 1968, would only “bring us from proud, rising nationalism to extreme, messianic ultranationalism.” And such extreme passions, Leibowitz claimed, would be the undoing of the Israeli project, leading to “brutality” and ultimately “the end of Zionism.” That end is now closer than many Israelis care to admit. On its current path, Israel is veering in a deeply illiberal direction. Its current hard-right turn, pushed by politicians as well as by many of their constituents, could see Israel become a kind of ethnonationalist theocracy, run by a Jewish judicial and legislative council and right-wing religious extremists, nothing less than a Jewish version of Iran’s theocratic state." . Une analyse remarquable de lucidité, par 2 universitaires, l'un israélo-britannique, l'autre israélo-américain. Ceux qui défendent aveuglément la colonisation ou la destruction systématique de la Palestine feraient très bien de prendre le temps de réfléchir au contenu de cet article. Car comme le montrent très bien les auteurs, l'enjeu est maintenant la survie des principes idéologiques qui avaient donné naissance à Israël, et suivant de très près, l'existence même d'un Etat juif. Ni plus, ni moins. https://lnkd.in/dp9cv-ME