Just a few hours ago, I received an alert on my phone about a suspected chemical attack by the Syrian government in the northwest Syrian province of Idlib. In the time since, the number of deaths being reported has varied between 58 to 100 with dozens of them being children. Reports are also coming through that there has been attacks on the hospitals that are treating the victims.

My heart and my head cannot fathom such an attack, particularly when children are involved. And while trying to make sense if it, and find some more information (would you believe it is not the top news story here in Australia?), every photo depicting the incident is of children stripped down to their underwear as rescuers attempt to hose them down or children wearing face masks being treated. I cannot look but I cannot look away.

I think about my own children sleeping peacefully upstairs and my eyes well up with tears. I have chosen not to use any pictures of the Syrian children here because they were too graphic.

And then on the other hand I think to myself, perhaps people need to see these images so they can truly understand what is going on. But the truth is, when images of 3 year old Syrian Alan Kurdi face down on the shores of Turkey came to light in September 2015, nothing much changed in the world after the initial outrage. And in August 2016, when images of five year old Syrian Omran Daqneesh emerged of him sitting in an ambulance, his face and body covered in ash after an air strike on his building in Aleppo, nothing changed.

So why would today's alleged chemical attack be any different?

And perhaps now is not the appropriate time for me to mention Israel, but I am going to anyway. Because quite frankly, I am sick and tired of writing post after post about the United Nations and their obsession with demonising Israel. And the media. And Israel's detractors all the world over.

I am sick and tired of reading about another UN Security Council meeting where Israel is singled out six times and Syria not mentioned at all. Or that the Security Council has the audacity to pass a resolution on Jerusalem but cannot get to the bottom of what is happening in Syria. It makes me sick. Reports say France is calling for an emergency session of the UN Security Council but every single country that sits on that Council should be doing the same.

And I want to know something else. All of those people who marched in the streets to protest against Israel's alleged conduct during military operations in Gaza, where will you be tomorrow morning? Will you be marching through Sydney or Melbourne's CBD to protest the use of chemical weapons in Syria? Expressing your outrage? I know the answer is no.

How many more images of children suffering from the war do they need to see before they wake up and take real action?

- Emily Gian, ZFA Media & Advocacy Director

תמונות בציר זמן4 אפריל

‏‎Colleen Hunt‎‏ ו-‏‏41‏ אחרים‏ אהבו את זה.

‏40‏ שיתופים

Libby Burke

Well said, Emily. Thanks for sharing this. I have re-posted. Others may wish to consider doing same.

‏1‏הסתר/הסתירי5 אפריל

Alan Broder

Disgusting ... inhuman behaviour ....creating further suffering for these already battered people. The damage to these embattled middle eastern countries will take generations to recover. Obama said ...a few years ago, if Chemical weapons are used, the USA will respond....well they never did....words only ....Israeli medical staff are working day and night at the borders treating the Syrians who bring their injured family members for help...we never hear anything positive from the media about Israel. People out there don't know how barbaric the Syrian army and people were when they captured Israeli soldiers...murdered them on state TV....and see how Israelis treat these injured refugees...as though they were family members.

נערך‏2‏הסתר/הסתירי4 אפריל

Suzanne Aladjem

It's heart breaking and I too have to mention Israel they are boycotting from all directions against Israel for building apartments I to have to ask who is going to march and sanction Syria for their atrocities I'll be following the media and UN on this

‏1‏הסתר/הסתירי5 אפריל

Shirlee Finn

Emily, what you must realise is that the average person hasn't a clue about what is going on in the world, let alone Syria.

I frequent pro-'Palestine' pages and Israel hate sites and no one but no one gives a damn unless it's about Israel.

Today on Ma'an News there is an article about Hamas demolishing illegally built homes. No condemnation from them or anyone posting.

But G-d forbid Israel does likewise and the language and condemnation knows no bounds.

‏4‏הסתר/הסתירי4 אפריל

Shirlee Finn

Emily Gian Zfa Fully agree. We watch the TV news for our laugh… עוד of the day.
"A grandmother did this" " A grandfather did that" etc. Nothing as basic as a man or a woman.

It is pathetic.

ראה/ראי את כל ‏2‏ התשובות

Libby Burke

Alan Broder

Suzanne Aladjem

Shirlee Finn

Sue Wermut

Esther Goldberg

Maurice Klein

Tomer Solomon

Vuce Kalinic

Abby Kumar Buccilli

Emma Shulman

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