Many in Mideast see hypocrisy in Western embrace of Ukraine

By JOSEPH KRAUSS
Associated Press

JERUSALEM (AP) — Western countries have invoked international law within days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. They imposed crippling sanctions, welcomed refugees and cheered on Ukraine’s armed resistance. The response has elicited outrage across the Middle East, where many see a glaring double standard in how the West responds to international conflicts. Palestinians and Iraqis who fight against occupying forces are branded terrorists. Arab and Muslim refugees are often turned away or treated with suspicion in the West, even when fleeing conflicts in which Western countries played a prominent role. Many in the Mideast see this as proof the West still harbors cultural biases beneath its talk of universal rights and values.