Palestine And The Collapse Of The Rules-Based World Order

Introduction

As of May 2025, the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza has reached an unprecedented level. Over 50,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023, the vast majority of them civilians, including thousands of children. Yet, Western powers—particularly the United States and its allies—continue to champion a so-called “rules-based international order.” This phrase, often invoked to justify sanctions, interventions, and diplomatic pressure elsewhere, rings hollow when applied to the decades-long plight of the Palestinian people. The ongoing occupation, apartheid policies, and repeated war crimes committed by Israel—backed unconditionally by the West—expose a deep hypocrisy at the heart of this so-called global order.

The reality on the ground as of April 2025, the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza has reached catastrophic proportions.

Despite over 100 UN resolutions condemning Israeli settlements, forced displacement, and indiscriminate attacks on civilians, meaningful accountability remains absent. Israel faces no sanctions, no arms embargo, and no international isolation. Instead, it continues to receive billions of dollars in military aid, preferential trade agreements, and political cover from Western powers. Gaza, meanwhile, remains under siege. Hospitals are bombed, aid convoys are blocked, and basic necessities such as water, fuel, and electricity are deliberately withheld. This is not a security response—it is collective punishment on a mass scale.

Selective Application of International Law

The West’s approach to international law is anything but consistent. When Russia annexed Crimea or when countries like Iran and Venezuela were accused of rights violations, swift sanctions and global condemnation followed. Yet, when Israel openly violates the Geneva Conventions, targets civilian infrastructure, and defies the International Court of Justice, it is rewarded with normalization deals, tech investments, and defense partnerships. This blatant double standard has destroyed the credibility of any “rules-based” narrative. It is clear that the “rules” apply only to adversaries of the West—not its allies.

Equally troubling is the role of Western media in shaping public perception. Palestinian resistance is labeled as “terrorism,” while Israeli aggression is framed as “self-defense.” Terms like “clashes” are used to obscure the reality of one-sided military assaults. The dehumanization of Palestinians and the erasure of their suffering are key components of maintaining this illusion of moral superiority. Journalism that challenges this narrative is often silenced, censored, or dismissed as biased.

Conclusion

Palestine is no longer just a humanitarian crisis—it is a mirror reflecting the moral bankruptcy of the global system. The rules-based world order, as promoted by the West, has collapsed under the weight of its own contradictions. When international law is selectively enforced, when some lives are deemed expendable, and when justice is sacrificed for geopolitical interests, what remains is not order—but domination. Justice for Palestine is no longer a political preference; it is a global moral imperative. Until the world confronts this hypocrisy, peace will remain out of reach—not only for Palestinians, but for humanity as a whole.