Is Human Rights a Political Tool?

Is Human Rights a Political Tool?

Human rights activists have been talking about Palestine for years, but the gap between words and action is as vast as the blood being shed daily in Palestine.

International organizations publish reports, hold conferences, pass resolutions, and governments issue one statement after another. But if all these international mechanisms are powerless to stop the ongoing killing of civilians, we must ask: What is the purpose of these institutions in the first place?

There is no doubt that there are numerous documents, reports, and warnings about the massacre of Palestinians by Israel. Even human rights organizations have been publishing numerous reports about this tragedy and the violation of Palestinian rights for years. But what has changed?

Nothing;

On the contrary, people have only become tired of power struggles. Because as long as the other side is weak, international law is taken seriously. But when a powerful ally, strategic interests, military contracts, and political influence are at stake, the principles they passionately defend become victims of hidden self-interest.

This contradiction makes Palestine a true measure of the claims of “human rights.”

How can we speak of the right to life, human dignity, and the protection of civilians without using effective tools to put pressure on a government that commits genocide and enjoys the political and military support of great powers?

Because; a declaration does not prevent a massacre. Condemnation does not rebuild a home. Meetings do not save a child from under the rubble. Concern for people who suffer daily under the policies of criminal powers is practically meaningless.

Of course, this problem is not limited to human rights organizations. These organizations can certainly report, document, and demand accountability. However, the power to end wars and change the political balance of power lies with governments. When governments, despite their capacity to exert pressure, prioritize their political interests over the principles they support in international forums, this can no longer be justified as a weakness of human rights institutions.

At such a moment, the question arises: Where are the hollow gestures of the Western countries, Canada, and Australia in recognizing Palestine?

Of course, it was clear that these decisions were more of a publicity stunt than a real action. The nature of the occupation has not changed; massacres and blockades continue, homes are destroyed, and children suffer from fear and hunger. Therefore, it is clear that this was not done out of compassion for the people of Gaza, but as a power game and a political negotiating tactic. If nothing changes in practice, what is the value of recognition on paper? Was it merely an excuse to wash their bloody hands of the matter, or fear of losing their identity in the eyes of the people of their own countries?

Of course, I say with complete certainty: they could have prevented this crime, but they chose to protect their own interests. These are the same countries that remained silent for more than ten centuries and were complicit in these crimes. The ones that support Israel with weapons and diplomatic assistance.

Therefore, for these countries, human rights are invoked only when their actions have no political consequences.

It is important to emphasize that Palestine is no longer merely a victim of war, but also a victim of power games.

Palestine is not merely a humanitarian crisis, but a political scandal for a system that claims that the rule of law stands above power. In other words, human rights are still not applied equally to everyone. The law is applied to the vulnerable, while negotiations are held with the oppressors. The vulnerable are condemned, while the oppressors are tolerated. The vulnerable are held accountable, while criminals are not punished.

History distinguishes between perpetrators and innocent bystanders. But the line between passive spectators and accomplices is not always clear.

This issue, in itself, is not about “human rights,” but about a political tool called human rights. Perhaps the most important question is: If human rights cannot protect people from power, then what purpose does it serve?

Are they only serving the powerful?

Author: Gouya Roshan
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