The US State Department has presented conflicting views on whether Israel is held to a different moral standard than Hamas in the ongoing Middle East conflict.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently stated that there is no “double standard” of expectations for either side, emphasizing that the US applies the same human rights standards to everyone.
However, Ambassador David Satterfield, the State Department’s special envoy for Middle East humanitarian issues, contradicted this assertion, indicating that Israel is expected to adhere to a higher standard of conduct due to its status as a democracy with values.
This conflicting messaging has emerged amidst growing pro-Palestinian protests in New York City and the release of the State Department’s annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, which highlight Israel’s actions in the region.
The report prominently features concerns over Israel’s precautions to minimize civilian casualties among Palestinians and raises issues regarding civilian deaths in Gaza, humanitarian aid access, and the displacement of civilians.
The mention of Israel before other pressing human rights concerns, such as ongoing abuses in Iran and the Taliban’s mistreatment of women and girls in Afghanistan, has further fueled the debate over the US’s stance towards Israel’s conduct in the conflict.
