Unmasking the hypocrisy of global leadership in perpetual conflict

By Bimbo R. Akinjokun

In a world perpetually grappling with conflict, from the enduring tragedy in Israel and Gaza to Ukraine’s ongoing struggle, a glaring hypocrisy from many global leaders is evident. While their rhetoric preaches peace, justice, and humanitarian concern, their actions, or inactions, often betray different priorities—ones that profit from, or perpetuate, the very chaos they publicly lament. This reveals a leadership crisis where uncomfortable truths are sidestepped, and a genuine commitment to resolution is overshadowed by political expediency, self-interest, and a disquieting lack of courage.

The most jarring hypocrisy lies in the selective application of international principles. Consider the Israel-Gaza conflict. Many leaders condemn Israeli military actions, citing devastating civilian casualties and the humanitarian crisis—an absolute and undeniable truth. Yet, equally forceful, consistent, and unambiguous condemnation is often absent for Hamas’s alleged use of human shields and its embedding of military infrastructure within civilian areas. While Israel and its staunch allies, like the United States, consistently point out these violations, much of the international community offers more nuanced or muted criticism. This perceived double standard allows one party to be held to account while the other’s alleged transgressions are downplayed, fostering injustice and undermining impartial paths to peace.

This word-deed gap is further evident in the relentless calls to “get aid into Gaza.” While the humanitarian catastrophe is absolute and demands urgent action, this focus on managing symptoms rather than addressing root causes is problematic. Leaders express “deep concern” for the suffering, yet fundamental issues—conflicting claims to the land, ongoing occupation, Jerusalem’s status, Palestinian refugees, and deep-seated distrust—remain largely unaddressed. Providing humanitarian aid, though vital, can serve as a political Band-Aid, allowing leaders to appear compassionate without undertaking the more politically risky endeavours of enforcing accountability or pursuing a comprehensive peace deal.

More alarming is that some individuals in power, or those connected to them, may actively profit from conflict. This manifests through inflated aid and reconstruction contracts or the diversion of humanitarian supplies for personal gain. Recent reports on private contracting firms, often linked to military backgrounds, delivering aid in conflict zones like Gaza, raise serious concerns about the “militarisation, politicisation, and profit-seeking” nature of such arrangements. If individuals stand to gain financially from chaos, it creates a powerful incentive to ensure the “need” for conflict and aid persists, directly hindering resolution.

The global response to the war in Ukraine further illuminates this hypocrisy. While Western nations provide unprecedented military and financial aid to Ukraine, they simultaneously continue to import significant amounts of fossil fuels from Russia. A report marking the third year of the invasion showed the European Union (EU) paid nearly EUR 22 billion for Russian fossil fuel imports, an amount surpassing its financial aid to Ukraine in 2024. This stark imbalance stresses a perceived prioritisation of economic comfort and energy security over fully crippling Russia’s war machine. Critics argue that funding the aggressor, even while supporting the victim, exposes profound moral inconsistency.

In this landscape of selective outrage, rhetorical posturing, and economic self-interest, global frustration is palpable. This very “lily-livered” approach from traditional leaders often makes figures like Donald Trump resonate. His direct, often blunt, and anti-establishment style, however controversial, is perceived by his supporters as a refreshing willingness to “call out” the very hypocrisy and spinelessness observed in other global figures.

While his approach has its own criticisms, it taps into deep public discontent with leaders who appear to prioritise political survival and financial gain over absolute truth and genuine justice.

Justice is based on truth. Yet, when leaders prioritise politics over principle, selectively acknowledge facts, profit from chaos, and lack the courage to guide their followers toward uncomfortable but necessary truths, the foundation of justice crumbles.

Until leaders worldwide courageously shape opinion towards comprehensive understanding, mutual recognition, and principled action, lasting peace will remain an elusive promise in a world too often defined by the alarming drumbeat of hypocrisy.

Akinjokun, an author, leadership consultant writes from Ibadan, Oyo State.

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