Election Blindness: Aggression in the West Bank and Ethiopia Overshadowed by U.S. Election Coverage

Nov 23

Nov 23 Election Blindness: Aggression in the West Bank and Ethiopia Overshadowed by U.S. Election Coverage

Election week in the United States was contentious, heated, and stressful, gathering attention from news sources all over the world. With the election of the forty-sixth president came the potential for new international policies which would affect more than just United States citizens. Nevertheless, it still came as a surprise when, before all the votes were even counted, some countries were already making moves with the election in mind.

On November 3rd, Election Day in the United States, Israeli security forces demolished a Palestinian community in the West Bank, displacing over 70 young residents. The demolition is considered the largest of its kind in almost a decade and came as a surprise after the Israeli government declared a cease in raids due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, the event received little news attention due to the ongoing election process in America.

The following day witnessed tensions rising in Ethiopia when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ordered an airstrike on the Tigray state in the northwest of the country. Abiy stated that the attack was based on previous skirmishes at a military base led by the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front, or TPLF. After cutting internet and phone connection for the entire region, the Ethiopian leader sent military forces with the intention to consolidate power in the nation. The silencing of the Tigray region, coupled with ongoing ballot counting in America, made news coverage on the conflict scarce.

The conflicts in both regions have been ongoing for some time, but recent events show a clear escalation in tactics and aggression that is alarming. The Gaza Strip and West Bank have been areas of conflict since the 1940’s, and Israeli demolitions of Palestinian housing have occurred frequently throughout the period. According to the United Nations, demolition of housing and property in an occupied territory is considered illegal under international law, and the size of the offensive coupled with health concerns from the pandemic shows a more aggressive policy than has been seen for many years.

Events in Ethiopia also demonstrate a growing intensity, particularly in the uncharacteristic actions of its leader. Mr. Ahmed was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 for democratizing political proceedings in Ethiopia and signing a peace agreement with neighboring Eritrea. From the beginning of Ahmed’s leadership in 2018, Ethiopia had seen outcries from peripheral regions and minority ethnic groups in hopes of achieving more autonomy from the central government. However, his swift ramping up of policy against the Tigray people has alarmed analysts in the Horn of Africa, who stated that by calling a state of emergency and suspending the political rights of Tigrayans, the Prime Minister has brought the nation close to civil war.

While tensions in each nation have been escalating for many years, it is questionable that both events would occur so soon to Election Night. Mr. Ahmed stated that the choice to attack Tigray was not premeditated but evidence of troop movements and budget clashes beginning in September undermine his claim. Leaders from both nations anticipated worldwide news coverage to focus on the American election rather than their actions.

These events’ strategic timing highlights the extent to which Western-centric attitudes have pervaded international politics and media attention. Should one United States election have the power to detract attention from conflicts and human rights abuses elsewhere in the world? Perhaps more importantly, should one election have the power to alter the course of international relations for the next four years, and maybe longer?

The importance riding on the American election has shown in areas besides the West Bank and Ethiopia. In China, social media users celebrated Biden’s win, although it took much longer for top officials to make any statements about the outcome. Russian reactions have shown that the election also has repercussions for President Vladimir Putin’s leadership, giving the opposition a reason to advocate for more free and democratic election processes. Other world leaders have made statements of support for Biden’s upcoming presidency, speaking to the possibility of peaceful cooperation and unity. Some reactions are more positive than others, but one thing is clear: this election was conducted on a world stage, with more than just United States citizens stressing over the outcome.

Despite the increasing complexity and globalization of our world today, it still seems drastic that one nation’s choice of leader could mean so much for the world’s future. The unchecked power of the United States has created a world in which issues that do not affect America and its allies are not urgently dealt with by media or relief forces. For example, the United Nations denounced the violent events in the West Bank and Ethiopia, but has done little to remedy either situation. In fact, UN News pivoted to focus on Israel and Palestine’s cooperation in handling rising COVID-19 cases in Gaza less than two weeks after the Israeli demolition. Unless an issue is deemed worthy of international attention by the Western media, it is pushed aside and allowed to continue.

The 2020 election has shown that America is far from perfect. Within the nation’s borders there is division, strife, poverty, and racism that must be dealt with. These internal bruises show that no single nation is more deserving of attention than another. The narrative of American exceptionalism that fuels intervention in conflicts and domination of media attention must be stopped because America has no stake to the moral high ground. Non-Western nations deserve and need the chance to tell their own stories in their own ways, hopefully making our globalized world a little more balanced in the process.