Wall St. Journal editor Bret Stephens contrasts perceptions of the Mideast conflict with the just-ended Chechen war, and wonders:
Why is Palestinian life so dear in the eyes of the world — and Chechen life so cheap?
After examining various reasons, Stephens advances his own idea. Spoiler alert:
Maybe the world attends to Palestinian grievances but not Chechen ones for the sole reason that Palestinians are, uniquely, the perceived victims of the Jewish state. That is, when they are not being victimized by other Palestinians. Or being expelled en masse from Kuwait. Or being excluded from the labor force in Lebanon. Things you probably didn't know about, either. As for the Chechens, too bad for their cause that no Jew will ever likely become president of Russia.