The huge loss of life and massive destruction in Gaza over the last month has triggered an outpouring of humanitarian concern from many of Israel’s most loyal defenders — concern directed towards anywhere but Gaza.

It’s a bit like responding to the situation in Ferguson, Missouri, by saying that it’s nowhere near as bad as Aleppo — which it isn’t, but so what?

Following the release of a Human Rights Watch report which says Egypt’s leaders should be investigated for committing possible crimes against humanity, the editorial board of the Washington Post says:

the massacre staged by Egyptian security forces on Aug. 14, 2013, in Cairo’s Rabaa Square far exceeds, in its wanton use of force and calculated slaughter of women and children, any action by Israel during the recent fighting in Gaza.

That’s debatable, but the Post’s concern is that this illustrates the unfairness with which Israel has been singled out as a target of international criticism.

The editorial’s headline says “Egypt should be a pariah state for its bloody crackdown on dissent” — the implication being that it is Egypt, not Israel, which is more deserving of being branded as a pariah state. And while the piece rebukes the Obama administration for cynically maintaining its ties to the Sisi regime, it makes no mention of Israel’s close ties to Egypt.

No doubt Egypt is deserving of pariah status — but so is Israel.