The arrest of a Palestinian activist at Columbia University has sparked opposition, while the violence in Syria is being ignored. The double standards of the West when it comes to human rights are hypocritical. The international community has focused on Gaza and condemned Israel, while turning a blind eye to the violence and ethnic cleansing of Alawites and Christians in Syria. The mainstreaming and legitimization of the new leader of Syria, who has an al-Qaeda and ISIS background, is a prime example of this double standard. The selective outrage and political convenience of targeting Israel while ignoring the real violators of human rights is a threat to Western civilization.