BY AYDIN AYAYDIN
VATAN - The recent images in newspapers and on TV are inhuman. This shouldn’t be happening in the 21st century. Innocent people, including children and the elderly, are being slaughtered.
As Israel is hitting civilian targets, the world is watching.
As usual, the Arab states are keeping their silence. These undemocratic countries are just watching this slaughter in a neighboring Muslim country, and they have no idea of human rights.
But what about the so-called democratic defenders of human rights in European countries? As they see all this, are they just averting their eyes, as the situation doesn’t affect them?
Just weeks before he is set to take office, US President-elect Barack Obama, whose father was Muslim, is also staying silent. Considering the current president’s views on human rights and democracy, we don’t find his lack of comments remarkable, but I wonder if Obama is sensitive to this issue. I think there’s no difference between the two leaders. The only change in the White House is switching white skin for black. The mentality is the same.
Hamas militants, who have caused the deaths of many innocents in Gaza, are hiding out in underground tunnels. Doesn’t Hamas feel any guilt? Didn’t they know that innocents would pay the bill for their deeds? It’s a real shame!
Israel may have its reasons, but there is no cause that justifies killing innocents. Any state may fight another state to protect its interests. But wars must only be between military forces, and civilians should not be targeted. Israel has no excuse to hit civilians.
I’m absolutely sure that Turkey’s Jews also don’t approve of Israel’s bloody attacks.
While all this is happening in Gaza, neighboring Muslim countries are silent. Nothing is being heard from Syria, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, or other Middle East countries. The biggest reaction came from our Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and then Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Erdogan’s reaction to these inhuman developments is right and should be praised. But I must express my annoyance at Erdogan sharing the stage only with Gaddafi and Ahmadinejad, who know nothing of democracy.
While all countries should protest this situation, the Western countries – advocates of democracy and human rights – are exercising a double standard, as usual.
If the slaughter of civilians, babies and the elderly in Gaza is just being watched today, then no world statesman has any right to talk about democracy and human rights!
