Following the fall of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, new evidence of his crimes against humanity is coming to light—evidence that should prompt anyone with a moral conscience to ask: Why didn’t we do more?
While the international media, human rights groups, and the UN focused their criticism on Israel during the Gaza war, the atrocities committed by Assad were largely ignored. It seems the absence of Jewish involvement meant there was little coverage: “No Jews, no news.”
EMILY’S TAKE
(ILTV)
The Scale of Devastation
Since the Syrian Civil War began in 2011, more than 6 million Syrians have been displaced, and over 580,000 have been killed. Among the victims were 4,000 Palestinians from the Yarmouk refugee camp, which Assad attacked, displacing 100,000 more.
Where were the emergency UN sessions on the plight of these Palestinians? Where were the campus protests, 24/7 media coverage, or marches against this mass slaughter of Arabs?
Chemical Weapons and Torture
Assad’s regime violated international law by repeatedly using chemical weapons such as mustard gas, chlorine gas, and sarin gas against civilians.
The regime also operated over 100 detention centers, holding hundreds of thousands of prisoners in inhumane conditions. In Sednaya Prison, known as the "slaughterhouse," detainees endured mass executions, electrocution, whipping, rape, mutilation, and sleep deprivation.
Women who were raped were forced to give birth and raise their children in prison cells—children who had never seen sunlight until a few weeks ago. Today, countless Syrians remain missing, and mass graves, including graves holding over 100,000 victims, are still being discovered.
The UN’s Response
The UN has long been aware of these crimes. Despite evidence of chemical weapons use and other atrocities, in 2022, the UN Human Rights Council praised Assad’s human rights record. Between 2015 and 2022, the UN General Assembly passed 125 resolutions condemning Israel, compared to just nine against Syria.
Incredibly, days before Assad’s fall, the UN demanded that Israel return the Golan Heights to his regime. All the while, Assad’s government held a position within the UN responsible for upholding human rights.
Silence from Human Rights Groups and Media
Early in the civil war, organizations like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International addressed the situation in Syria. However, they have since shifted focus, channeling significant resources into campaigns labeling Israel an apartheid state or accusing it of genocide in Gaza. Amnesty International even invented a new definition of genocide solely to smear Israel.
The media’s performance has been no better. Assad’s crimes received relatively little coverage compared to the intense scrutiny placed on Israel during the Gaza war, even as thousands of Arabs languished in Assad’s prisons.
The Hypocrisy of Selective Outrage
Emily Schrader Photo: ILTVWhile the UN and media consistently scrutinize Israel, Assad was allowed to commit atrocities without accountability.
If you remained silent on Assad’s torture and slaughter of Arabs throughout his rule but express outrage over Israel’s legal actions in Gaza, conducted in accordance with international law, then your stance is not pro-Palestinian or anti-war—it is simply hypocritical and racist.
First published: 06:16, 12.23.24