Letters | Human rights should apply equally, not only when it pleases the US

Readers discuss the war in Gaza and its ripple impact elsewhere, including Hong Kong

Reading Time:3 minutes

A girl looks at a closed bakery in Gaza City, on April 1. The aid blockade has forced the shuttering of 25 bakeries in Gaza run by the UN World Food Programme as food supplies shrivel. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 2:30pm, 3 Apr 2025

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The world has once again witnessed Israel’s blatant violation of the Gaza ceasefire and its assassination of Hamas leaders. The lack of condemnation from the United States and other Western allies is yet another example of double standards. If the war in Ukraine is considered an attack on the international order, why are Israel’s relentless attacks on Palestinian civilians ignored?

The US presents itself as a champion of democratic values, yet in practice human rights only hold significance in foreign policy when they align with American interests. Some nations are subjected to sanctions and pressure under the pretext of human rights violations while US allies, even when committing blatant crimes, remain immune from consequences.

And it’s not just Palestine. Military interventions in Libya and Iraq, support for armed groups in Syria and double standards in addressing humanitarian crises all exemplify a policy where ethical principles are ignored in favour of geopolitical interests.

Meanwhile, Israel’s attacks are not only escalating tensions in the Middle East but also undermining America’s position as a neutral mediator in international conflicts. Emerging powers such as China and Russia are seizing this opportunity to expand their influence among Arab and Islamic nations. The global order is shifting, and the West’s double standards are only accelerating decline of their credibility.

In recent years, independent-minded states including Iran, Turkey and Gulf Cooperation Council countries have reassessed relations with Washington. Even Saudi Arabia, which has been deeply dependent on the US, is strengthening ties with China and Russia. America’s traditional allies, it seems, are losing trust in its inconsistent policies.

The key question remains: isn’t it time for human rights standards to be based on justice and universal principles rather than the interests of great powers? How can a global system claim to uphold order and justice when it imposes severe sanctions on some while ignoring the crimes of others?