LOL Manny Waks you need to get with the program.

If you can't blame it on the "Great Satan" or the "Little Satan" it doesn't count.

This article is garbage. A quick look at the websites of the main human rights groups such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty show they are a campaigning on human rights violations all around the world. The same goes for the International Gay and Lesbian Association (ILGA).

As far as I'm concerned, Israel may not be the worst human rights violator in the world but it is in a long list of countries which commit atrocities. In other words, it ain't that special. Moreover, successive Israel governments have a history of supplying arms to murderous regimes like El Salvador in the 1980s, Somoza's Nicaragua in the 1970s, South Africa under apartheid and Argentina when it was ruled by a military junta - inspite of that regime's open anti-semitism.

Everytime Israel comes under the spotlight for its human rights record there are whinges of "anti-semitism". Does that mean that criticism of Zimbabwe is "racism" as Mugabe says?

As for Israel being "the only democracy in the Middle-East", well, I had no idea Turkey and Lebanon have been relocated.

The Left hates Israel and criticise it out of all proportion for 3 main reasons.

1. It is backed by the US - the Great Satan, therefore it must be bad.
2. It is capitalist and highly entrepreneurial and hence successful (that's the main reason why the Arab's hate it).
3. Jews live there. The anti-semitism of the left also relates to their antipathy towards capitalism as Jews are still caricatured by the left, arabs and others, as wily and money hungry.

Dozer:

I think the difference is obviously in the circumstance. There is active genocide occurring in Darfur at the moment. It would be hard to argue that something on a similar scale was occurring in Iraq at the time of the proposed invasion. Many people also believe they were intentionally mislead on the reasons for the invasion. They didn’t feel that a straightforward and clearly defined case for invading Iraq existed. They may feel differently with regard to Darfur. I don’t know that it’s as ironic as it first looks.

So this obviously calls into question motives and intention. The hypocrisy that GRN referred to seems to be played out on both sides of the fence. The US seems largely indifferent to human rights abuses in places like Saudi Arabia, but trumpets them loudly as a reason to invade Iraq. The US may be tied down in Iraq now, but Darfur – like numerous other regions – has been engaged in brutal internal conflict and violation of human rights for a long time. It begs the question why Iraq was chosen.

At any rate, the finger pointing and the protectionism needs to stop.

The media has failed in its responsibility here. As has the UN. But the UN, by its very nature, will be open to power plays and protectionism. It is a flawed institution, but I would argue - a necessary one.

At any rate the tone of this article is not helpful at all, other than the way it highlights the problems in Darfur. The 'but what about them!' approach does nothing. Criticism of Israel is warranted and should continue. Criticism of the Arab world is warranted and should also continue. There is a case to be made for highlighting points of criticism, but I don't think the 'Israel is being treated unfairly' approach does anything to further this. Are you suggesting if the international community stopped criticising Israel as much, there would no longer be a problem? You can encourage a balanced approach to the issues by delivering one yourself.

The issues I have were pretty well summarised by Rhian.

Yes - the Darfur tragedy is worse than the crimes committed by Israel, though I'm wary of using this argument to reduce criticisms of Israel.
Just because one is worse, doesn't mean another should be let off the hook.

That being said, the inaction and relative silence on Darfur is sickening and China has much to answer for in sabotaging UN intervention.

As an aside - the source of this article leads me to believe the author is less concerned about Darfur than he is about alleviating criticisms directed at Israel.

It just feels too much like pointing the finger and saying "but they're doing it worse" which to me, is no justification for causing trouble yourself.