I met Basheer, a middle-aged Lebanese man before he finished his shift and he headed home. We talked about our home countries after introducing ourselves. When I mentioned I was from Iraq Kurdistan, he smiled and switched to Arabic. I apologized for not understanding, explaining that I’m a Kurd and don’t speak Arabic. His expression changed, and he asked me some tough questions: Why don’t I like Arabic? Why do Kurds hate Saddam Hussein, the former Iraqi president, and seem to support Israel? Why the dislike for Turkey and Iran? Our conversation didn’t last long after he accused me and even the Kurds of only hating Hamas but supporting Israel and “terrorists.” I clarified that I neither hate Arabs nor support the Israeli government. I mentioned that his views might be influenced by Turkish and Iranian media, which have committed genocide against the Kurds. Basheer left quietly and said bye when my coworker Daniel arrived and said “hey.”
Daniel and I have had challenging conversations due to our different perspectives. Jewish and originally from Ukraine, he brought up Israel’s attacks on Gaza soon after signing in. Then he asked me questions about the war. When I revealed my point of view, he immediately expressed strong views condemning Palestinians, and even Muslims for the Hamas attack on Jewish communities, while justifying Israel’s attacks, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of people in Gaza so far. He spoke in support of Israel’s actions, aligning himself with the perspectives of the US and its allies. He accused me of being pro-Hamas and pro-terrorist. In some ways, Daniel mirrored Basheer’s stance on the issue.
Al Jazeera reports that the conflict has resulted in the deaths of around 40,000 individuals, comprising over 15,000 children and 10,000 women. Additionally, more than 88,881 people have been injured, with over 10,000 reported as missing.
The Gaza tragedy has revealed a great deal about those in charge of nation-states, their elites, and even ordinary people who claim to be defenders of human rights and democracy. Whether pro-Palestine or pro-Israel, many countries demonstrate contradictory and double standards regarding Gaza. People like Basheer and Daniel are not the only ones with such perspectives. Criticizing Israel’s policies in Palestine may result in a person being labelled “pro-Hamas” by supporters of Israel. On the flip side, denouncing Hamas for attacks on innocent Jews might get someone branded as “pro-Israel” or “Zionist,” like I was by Basheer.
Before I explain my perspective, let me briefly highlight where Basheer’s and Daniel’s oddly similar views come from. The US and its European allies condemned Russian brutality in Ukraine. However, they supported the Israeli army in Gaza, overlooking the killing of innocent Palestinians —not only escaped criticism but received full support. Many Western countries exhibit similar positions, and people like Daniel endorse them.
On the other side, “Pro-Palestinian” states and governments criticize Israel’s government for being aggressive and brutal in Gaza while expressing approval for brutal attacks by Hamas militants like Iran and Turkey, as well as against unarmed civilians. Furthermore, both countries Iran and Turkey claim to defend Palestinian rights and are worried about the high rate of killing of Palestinians but, hypocritically, engage in ethnic cleansing against the Kurds in the Middle East when Kurds, in fact, are seeking the same rights as Palestinians. In the same way that Israel now attacks Palestinian territories, these Muslim countries have seized control of Kurdistan, engaging in acts of genocide—killing civilians, demolishing homes, eradicating cultures, and destroying forests. From 2016 to October 2023, the Turkish government have launched over 6,500 airstrikes in Kurdish areas of Syria and Iraq, and the Iranian government killed or injured 334 Kurdish Kolbars and tradesmen in 2023. Additionally, Iran and Turkey brand Kurdish movements advocating for their rights as terrorists. Basheer and those who share his views support this stance against the Kurds, demonstrating clear double standards with their attitudes.
For those who approve of Turkey’s and Iran’s posture against Israel, it’s important to be aware of these facts. While Turkey criticizes Israeli air strikes for killing Gazans, it has increased its drone attacks on Kurdish-held areas in northern Syria and Iraq. Iran denounces Israeli attacks on Gaza as terror, yet it attacks Kurds in Iraq, causing umpteen civilian casualties. Iran also backs Palestinian rights, yet Iranian authorities executed 144 Kurdish prisoners in 2023 simply for insisting on their rights in Iran. Both Iran and Turkey support Hamas against Israel while labelling Kurdish national movements as terrorists. They also prevent Kurds from studying their mother tongue and learning their culture. The Kurds have endured a long period of forced cultural assimilation in both countries. Their hypocrisy is laughable if it weren’t so tragic for the Kurdish populations in both countries.
Israel’s government criticized the Turkish government for invading Kurdistan and supported the formation of a Kurdish state. However, Israel itself attacks Gaza and disenfranchises Palestinians. It’s worth mentioning that Israel, the US, and some European allies helped Turkey arrest the Kurdish leader and philosopher Abdullah Ocalan in Kenya in 1999. In simple terms, Turkey and Israel’s governments have tended to support each other whenever it served their interests.
The examples above are just a few instances of different governments’ hypocrisy respecting Gaza. It’s not surprising of course, since governments are often motivated by their own interests, disregarding human rights and international laws when it suits their national and international agendas. What concerns me more is the behaviour of many elites and ordinary people on both sides. They promote racism and hatred and fuel the continuation of conflict. They label anyone with different opinions as pro-Israel while calling out others for supporting Iran and Hamas. This is what I faced with Basheer and Daniel.
Obviously, it worries me that some Muslims and our neighbours—Turks, Iranians, and Arabs—label Kurds as pro-Israel, while those who are pro-Israel call Kurds pro-Hamas and “terrorist Muslims”. Daniel wasn’t the only one who called me anti-Israel; I faced insults from pro-Israel media for supporting Palestinian rights and opposing Israeli brutality in Gaza. Yet Basheer also criticized me, thinking I hate Turkey and Iran. However, my criticism is aimed at their mistreatment of Kurds.
I don’t support Hamas or the Israeli government. I stand for innocent Israelis and Palestinians. It’s essential to recognize that all Hamas members are Muslims, but not all Muslims in Palestine are part of Hamas, just like how all the far-right Israeli authorities and Zionists are Jews, but not all Jews are part of the brutal government of Israel and Zionism.
In short, For those who authentically uphold human rights and democracy, it’s crucial to condemn brutality, whether it’s carried out by Hamas, the Israeli government, or the Iranian and Turkish governments. We must recognize that governments often act in their interests, and when they start wars, it’s innocent civilians, like the Gazans, innocent Israeli civilians, and the Kurds who pay the price. The advice for governments and those who incite wars to refrain from accusing others aligns with the wisdom of the saying, “People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”
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Nick Seebruch, editor
