Israeli Killings and Gershkovich Highlight West's Hypocrisy

Israel’s murderous onslaught this week of assassinations and its relentless genocidal mania in Gaza highlight a glaring hypocrisy in how the West, particularly the US and its allies, handle issues of assassination, espionage, and international law.

While the politicians of the West and the media condemn Russia, the hypocrisy of turning a blind eye to even more egregious behaviours they commit remains astounding.

Evidence of that hypocrisy was obvious this week with the assassination of key figures by Israeli forces and the biased portrayal of espionage cases.

The past several days has seen Israeli intelligence operatives along with the IDF assassinate Fuad Shukr, a senior Hezbollah military commander, and Ismail Haniyeh, a Hamas chief negotiator.

Israel’s actions are part of a long history of targeted killings conducted with tacit approval or support of the US and its allies.

Shukr was killed in a precision strike, continuing Israel's strategy of eliminating the leadership of anyone it considers a threat. Similarly, the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh aimed to cripple Hamas' negotiating capabilities, derail any success of peace in Gaza while attempting to escalate a regional war.

Israel continues to display why its leadership is sick and demented, and why its people remain a target of international criticism and scrutiny due to the government's aggressive and inhumane policies.

What remains more disturbing is the silence from the West about the killings – it's deafening. The international outcry if another nation behaved as Israel does with the same impunity would be thunderous.

The recent prisoner swap between Russia and the West further exposes this double standard. Vadim Krasikov, a Russian hitman and former intelligence officer, was released by German authorities in exchange for Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. As is typical of Western media, it framed the exchange as another example of Russian perfidy, painting President Vladimir Putin as the evil puppet master.

However, the narrative about Putin has always been one that conveniently ignores the broader context and is designed to demonise a leader who has shown far greater integrity and sanity than any other world leader. Krasikov, convicted of murdering Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, a Georgian rebel leader, in Berlin, was undoubtedly involved in reprehensible activities.

However, the outrage directed at Russia overlooks similar extrajudicial killings regularly conducted by the US and Israel.

Krasikov’s case isn’t an isolated one. The West has a long history of engaging in and condoning assassinations. The CIA's involvement in coups and targeted killings around the world is well-documented.

The drone strike programs authorised by various US administrations have resulted in numerous deaths, often with little accountability or transparency. Yet, they’re seldom met with the same level of moral outrage as is directed at Russia.

Evan Gershkovich, labelled as "wrongfully convicted of espionage," warrants scrutiny. The framing of Gershkovich as an innocent journalist versus the portrayal of foreign nationals caught spying in the West is a stark double standard.

The two assassinations Israel has conducted and the handling of the Krasikov-Gershkovich swap highlight a fundamental aspect of international relations: realpolitik.

Nations act in their own interests, often engaging in morally ambiguous or outright illegal activities.

The difference lies in how they’re perceived and judged by the international community. The West's selective outrage undermines its moral authority. Condemning Russia while ignoring identical actions like Israel’s reveals a overwhelming hypocrisy.

Israel has frequently targeted key figures in Palestinian and regional leadership, often timed to derail peace negotiations. Eliminating influential leaders like Haniyeh who advocate for dialogue or have the potential to unify opposition groups, Israel ensures a peace process is disrupted, maintaining the status quo of conflict and control.

Mahmoud al-Mabhouh a senior Hamas military commander’s assassination in 2010, , was seen as an attempt to stifle any potential negotiation leverage Hamas might have gained.

Similarly, the killing of Ahmed Jabari, head of the Hamas military wing, in 2012, came days before he was to receive a draft agreement on a permanent truce with Israel. These targeted killings aren’t random acts of aggression but calculated moves to prevent any meaningful progress towards peace.

The intent of assassinating leadership by Israel is to creates a power vacuum, which causes internal chaos within any organisation.

Israel’s interests are served well by weakening its adversaries which then justifies further military actions under the guise of combating terrorism. The cycle of violence continues, with peace negotiations perennially stalled, allowing Israel to pursue its territorial and strategic objectives and genocidal mania with minimal international repercussions.

The history of Israeli assassinations is full of examples designed to undermine peace efforts. The killing of PLO leader Khalil al-Wazir in 1988, aka-Abu Jihad, was another blow to the possibility of a unified Palestinian leadership capable of negotiating with Israel.

Abu Jihad was a significant figure in the Palestinian resistance and a proponent of the Intifada, but his assassination sent a clear message that any attempt at organised resistance or negotiation would be met with lethal force.

Yasser Arafat’s deputy, Salah Khalaf, and other key figures, also assassinated in the early 1990s, were aimed at dismantling the PLO's leadership structure, ensuring that any peace talks would be conducted from a position of Palestinian weakness.

All these assassinations weren’t just tactical but part of an agenda that includes campaigns of slaughter, genocide, and war. The military incursions into Gaza, characterised by disproportionate use of force and significant civilian casualties, reflect a strategy of collective punishment.

Portraying Israel’s actions as necessary for security, allows it to garner international support while continuing its policies of expansion and aggression. The construction of settlements in the West Bank, deemed illegal under international law, and the ongoing blockade of Gaza are further examples of policies aimed at subjugating the Palestinian population.

The international community's selective outrage and failure to hold Israel accountable for its actions only embolden its aggression even further.

Israel’s program of assassinations, biased portrayal of espionage cases, and the vilification of Putin expose the West's double standards and unrelenting lunacy.