The current situation in Ukraine is unquestionably distressing and a major problem. We’re talking about a full-scale invasion with no regard for humanity or the Ukrainian people’s safety. But let us discuss the fact that we have all chosen to turn a blind eye to the truth. The truth is that Palestine has been an occupied country by Israeli forces for a long time, while the rest of the world appears to forget about it and deal with it as if it was something normal. Let me be clear: this is not a comparison of the two crises, but rather an eye-opening look at an occupation that has lasted more than 70 years.
Although the international media expressed sympathy for both situations, we have recently seen an increase in uninformed media content equating to the Palestinian and Ukrainian crises and saying that Ukrainians are suffering more than Palestinians. Even racist slurs were thrown around. This is in no way acceptable, and we cannot progress in the world if we support any form of war.
However, Vogue removed the mention of Palestine from Gigi Hadid’s recent Instagram post for refugee donations. In her statement, the supermodel stated that she will contribute her proceeds from Fall 2022 shows to help those affected by the crisis in Ukraine, as well as continue to support those affected by the same conflict in Palestine. Nonetheless, Vogue has received a barrage of criticism, with many stating that omitting Palestine from the story is irresponsible and unethical because it removes Hadid’s full message, in which she expressed her sympathy with both Ukraine and Palestine.
Hadid told Diet Prada that both circumstances are terrible and that more awareness is needed for individuals who have learned to tolerate the ongoing occupation in Palestine through time. She even went on to say that:
While my dad is a Palestinian refugee who was able to make a life for himself in the United States after being born in Nazareth, there are currently over five million Palestinians living in refugee camps still.
Gigi Hadid via Tribune
Furthermore, Hadid discussed how many international organizations have remained silent on the current situation in Palestine, and how the world should constantly remember and assist the refugees fleeing the country. We live in a strange era when we prefer to compare crises that shouldn’t have happened in the first place. Both wars are devastating and should be abandoned immediately to prevent more souls from being lost.
