Why do we choose sides in conflicts like Israel-Gaza? Let’s consider child mortality figures in neighbouring conflicts:
• Syrian Civil War: 20,000 children
• Yemen Conflict: 11,000 children
• Libyan Civil War: 5,000 children
• Gaza Conflict: 4,000 children
If you’ve found yourself to be more vocal about Gaza than you’ve been on Syria, Yemen, or Libya, is it really about child mortality or something else?
For supporters of Israel’s self-defense stance, Jan 2008 – Sep 2023 saw 6,407 Palestinian vs. 308 Israeli deaths. Pleading self-defence after inflicting 20x the fatalities also suggests this is about something other than the numbers.
Then there are other conflicts that receive almost no comment at all. Why has the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region failed to contribute flags to Instagram bios?
If we’re selective in the conflicts over which we choose sides, and pay little regard to comparative fatality counts, our real solidarity is more likely to others at home than to victims abroad — and a less fitting tribute to them than they deserve.
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