Why Some Conflicts Burn and Only One Is Obsessively Watched

The world is full of territorial disputes. Many are violent. Some have lasted decades. Several involve occupation, displacement, rival national movements, and unresolved borders. Yet only one conflict is treated as a moral obsession, a litmus test for virtue, and a permanent fixture of global outrage: the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, particularly Judea and Samaria (the so-called “West Bank”).

This is not because it is the bloodiest conflict on earth. It is not.
It is not because it is the longest. It is not.
It is not because it is the most legally clear. It is anything but.

So why Israel?

To understand the double standard, we must compare Israel to other disputed territories and then ask why they receive a fraction of the attention, outrage, and condemnation.

Comparable Conflicts the World Mostly Ignores:
Northern Cyprus: Division, Displacement, and Violence

In 1974, Turkey invaded Cyprus following a coup backed by Greece. The island was split. Around 160,000 Greek Cypriots were expelled from the north, and approximately 45,000 Turkish Cypriots fled the south. Murders, mass displacement, and ethnic cleansing occurred on both sides.

Since then:

Turkish troops remain stationed in Northern Cyprus
Tens of thousands of Turkish settlers were moved into the area
Property of displaced Greek Cypriots was confiscated
Northern Cyprus is recognized only by Turkey

There were killings, missing persons, mass graves, and forced population transfers. Yet today, there are:

No global boycott movements
No daily UN condemnations
No campus protests accusing Turkey of apartheid
No calls for Turkey’s destruction

The conflict is largely frozen—and largely ignored.

Kashmir: Terror, Occupation, and Thousands Dead

Kashmir has been disputed between India and Pakistan since 1947. The region has seen:

More than 40,000 deaths (some estimates are much higher)
Islamist terror attacks against civilians
Mass displacement of Kashmiri Hindus
Heavy military presence
Revocation of autonomy by India in 2019

Violent incidents include:

Suicide bombings killing dozens of Indian soldiers
Targeted killings of minority Hindus
Cross-border shelling of civilian areas

Yet Kashmir does not dominate headlines.
No one claims India has no right to exist.
No one questions Hindu historical ties to the region.
No UN agency exists solely for Kashmiri refugees.

Western Sahara: Occupation with Almost No Scrutiny

Western Sahara is considered by the UN a “non-self-governing territory.” Morocco controls most of it. The indigenous Sahrawi population has been displaced, and many live in refugee camps in Algeria.

Violent episodes include:

Armed clashes between Morocco and the Polisario Front
Suppression of protests
Political imprisonment

And yet:

No global moral panic
No accusations of genocide
No viral outrage campaigns
No obsession with borders or settlements

Israel: A Conflict Treated as a Global Obsession

Now compare this with Israel.

A conflict that has caused far fewer deaths than Syria, Yemen, Sudan, or Congo
A conflict involving a state that:

Withdrawn from Gaza completely
Signed peace treaties with former enemies
Offers citizenship to its Arab minority
Has an independent judiciary and free press
Faces relentless terror attacks on civilians

And yet Israel is:

Condemned more than all other countries combined at the UN
Singled out for boycotts
Accused of crimes ignored elsewhere
Framed not as a party to a conflict, but as the villain

Why?

The Real Reasons for the Disproportionate Attention:
1. Jews Are Not Allowed to Be Strong

History has conditioned the world to accept Jews as victims, but not as sovereign defenders.

A Jewish state that fights back disrupts a deeply embedded psychological narrative:

Jews should be passive
Jews should rely on others
Jews should suffer quietly

Israel violates this expectation. It refuses to disappear. That alone provokes resentment.

2. Moral Simplicity Is Easier Than Complexity

The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is often framed as:Powerful vs powerless

Occupier vs occupied
White vs brown

This framing is false but it is emotionally easy.

In reality:

Jews are indigenous to Judea and Samaria
There was never a sovereign Palestinian state
The territory was Ottoman, then British, then disputed
Israel gained control in a defensive war
Palestinian leadership rejected multiple statehood offers
Terrorism is a central, ongoing factor

Complexity does not trend. Moral cartoons do.

3. The Conflict Is Weaponized Ideologically

For parts of the global Left, Israel represents:

The West
Borders
Nation-states
Military self-defense
Historical continuity

For parts of the Islamist world, Israel represents:

A non-Muslim sovereign entity in the Middle East
A challenge to religious supremacy
A humiliation that refuses to end

These two very different ideological camps converge on one target: Israel.

4. Media Amplification and NGO Industry

There is an entire global industry, NGOs, activists, academics, journalists, whose relevance depends on the perpetuation of the conflict.

Israel’s transparency, free media, and democratic openness make it:

Easier to film
Easier to criticize
Easier to distort

Hamas hides behind civilians. Israel investigates itself. Guess which footage circulates.

5. Antisemitism, Modern, Polished, and Denied

Much of today’s obsession with Israel is antisemitism wearing modern clothes.

It sounds like:

“Zionists control…”
“Israel is uniquely evil…”
“The Jewish state has no right to exist…”

The language has changed. The fixation has not.

No other nation is told its very existence is a crime.

What Makes Judea and Samaria Truly Different

Unlike other disputed areas:

Jews have continuous historical presence there for over 3,000 years
Places like Hebron, Shiloh, Bet El, and Shechem are foundational to Jewish identity
Jewish communities existed there long before modern Arab nationalism
Israel faces organized, ideological terror, not just border disputes

Security control exists not because of racism, but because withdrawal led to rockets, tunnels, and massacres elsewhere.

The Hypocrisy Is the Story

If the world judged all conflicts by the standards applied to Israel, many governments would collapse under sanctions and outrage.

But it doesn’t.

Israel is not perfect. No nation is.
But it is not uniquely evil.
It is not apartheid.
And it is not the reason the Middle East is unstable.

The uncomfortable truth is this:
Israel is not over-scrutinized because it is worse than others, 
but because it is Jewish, sovereign, and unwilling to disappear.

And that, more than borders or settlements, is what the world still cannot accept.

Time To Stand Up for Israel

Time To Stand Up for Israel is an independent foundation dedicated to fighting misinformation, countering antisemitism, and providing clear, fact-based education about Israel. We do not engage in internal Israeli politics. We stand on two core principles: Israel has the right to exist. Israel has the duty to defend itself. Support our work: Donate and/or subscribe at: www.timetostandupforisrael.com

CEO of Time to Stand Up for Israel, a nonprofit organization with a powerful mission: to support Israel and amplify its voice around the world. With over 200,000 followers across various social media platforms, our community is united by a shared love for Israel and a deep commitment to her future.

My journey as an advocate for Israel began early. When I was 11 years old, my father was deployed to the Middle East through his work with UNTSO. I had the unique experience of living in both Syria and Israel, and from a young age, I witnessed firsthand the contrast in cultures and realities. That experience shaped me profoundly.

Returning to the Netherlands, I quickly became aware of the growing wave of anti-Israel sentiment — and I knew I had to speak out. Ever since, I’ve been a fierce and unapologetic supporter of Israel. I’m not religious, but my belief is clear and unwavering: Israel has the right to exist, and Israel has the duty to defend herself.

My passion is rooted in truth, love, and justice. I’m a true Zionist at heart.
From my first breath to my last, I will stand up for Israel.