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Beyond economic factors, the level of support from Western political leaders to Israel hints at something more personal and coercive – something that attacks their very morality.
By DR QURAYSHA ISMAIL SOOLIMAN
As we near October 7th, marking a year of the genocide in Gaza being broadcast live to the world, one glaring issue remains unchallenged: Western political elites not only enable this atrocity but are deeply entwined in its perpetuation. While the focus often shifts to campaign donations, the true depth of elite complicity in fuelling the violence goes largely unexamined—beyond the shadows of money, there are darker motivations at play.
We have seen soldiers parading in the lingerie of dead or displaced Palestinian women on social media, a Rabbi justifying child rape, and Israeli lawmakers considering legalising the rape of Palestinians. From this, it is easy to believe this horror is contained in the apartheid state. But the truth is far darker. When leaders wield sex as a tool of power and domination, the conflict becomes an evil far beyond financial gain. Increasingly, it’s not just money controlling the elites – it’s sexual blackmail, turning moral depravity into a weaponised force that fuels the very essence of violence and control.
The recent revelations surrounding Jeffrey Epstein and the extensive network of compromised political figures suggest that their complicity in global atrocities like the genocide in Gaza may stem from fears of exposure. Pragmatically, one cannot ignore the power dynamics at play, where moral integrity and the fear of sexual scandal serve as tools of control for global leaders.
Historical and contemporary context of Gaza’s genocide
The genocide in Gaza has long been a symbol of settler colonialism, racism and apartheid, with Israel being accused of extreme violence for years and Western leaders turning a deaf ear. Western nations, particularly the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and some European states like Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden, have continued to provide unwavering support for this racism, apartheid and ethnic cleansing, often citing economic, political, and military alliances in support of Israel. The billions of dollars in financial aid flowing from the West to Israel, primarily from the US, raise the question: Why is there such fierce loyalty despite clear human rights violations and evidence of the greatest crime of all crimes – genocide?
Many have constantly stated that the political elite receive significant funding and monetary benefits from the Israeli lobby which is used to propagate the Israeli narrative of ‘victimhood, self-defence, beheaded babies and Hamas rapes.’ The Grayzone acquired slides from a confidential presentation by the Israel lobby, which draws on data compiled by Republican pollster Frank Luntz. In a series of private meetings in New York, two influential pro-Israel organizations – the UJA-Federation and the Jewish Community Relations Council – reportedly guided elected officials and public figures on how to frame and defend Israel’s actions in Gaza, including the justification of genocide. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a highly influential Israeli lobbying organisation, is facing growing calls to be registered as a ‘foreign agent’ representing the interests of another country. Long seen as one of the most powerful groups on Capitol Hill, AIPAC is currently registered with Congress as a domestic lobbying entity that ‘advocates unconditional US support for Israel and pushes back against any criticism of Israeli governments’. Under U.S. law, a foreign agent designation would compel the group to disclose far more detailed information about its objectives and activities to the government – stripping it of one of its most potent tools: the capacity to operate largely out of public view.
But financial contributions are an easy scapegoat in understanding this support; realistically, the true dynamics possibly run deeper. It is common knowledge that Western nations have vested financial interests in the Middle East, from arms deals and securing energy supplies, to maintaining influence in a geopolitically critical region. Yet, beyond economic factors, the level of support from Western political leaders to Israel hints at something more personal and coercive – something that attacks their very morality. If money alone does not account for this unyielding support, what else drives these political elites to remain complicit in such atrocities?
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One must confront this question because it’s impossible to believe they are unaware of the brutality and evil unfolding. They’ve recognized and condemned similar atrocities – targeting hospitals, schools, and children – in Ukraine. To suggest they do not see, understand or feel the weight of Israel’s gross violations against the Palestinian people strains credibility. Their silence speaks volumes, revealing a disturbing inconsistency that demands scrutiny more so now, when seemingly out of nowhere, they found their voices, rallying together to push for a 21-day ceasefire in Lebanon. The White House even published a statement to the effect.
The role of sexual scandals in political control
One of the most compelling explanations for this complicity can be found in the way sexual scandals are used as tools of control. The Epstein case provides an unsettling window into how this operates. Jeffrey Epstein, a financier and convicted sex offender, maintained relationships with an extensive network of high-profile politicians, business leaders, and celebrities. Epstein’s private island, Little St. James, and the infamous flight logs from his private jet, Lolita Express, have come to symbolise a dark underbelly of power where influential individuals were allegedly filmed engaging in illicit activities with minors.
The full Epstein list remains sealed, but the names already linked to the case include former US President Bill Clinton, who flew multiple times on Epstein’s jet. Clinton’s name resurfaced in discussions not only for his alleged participation but also for the strange painting of him in a blue dress that hung in Epstein’s New York mansion. As commentators have suggested, this was not merely art but a display of power – Epstein’s way of saying, ‘I own you’. This suggests a pattern of manipulation that goes beyond money. Compromised by their illicit activities, figures like Clinton may have little choice but to comply with agendas that defy morality, like turning a blind eye to the genocide in Gaza.
The case of Dominique Strauss-Kahn, former head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), presents another clear example. In 2011, Strauss-Kahn was arrested in New York after being accused of sexually assaulting a hotel maid. Although the charges were eventually dropped, his political career was destroyed. Strauss-Kahn had been a key player in global financial governance, and many have speculated that his sudden downfall was orchestrated due to his challenges to the established financial order. Was it a coincidence that this powerful figure, who posed a threat to certain economic agendas, was brought down by a sexual scandal?
In both cases, the scandals did more than just damage reputations; they ended careers and reshaped the political landscape. These incidents suggest a coordinated effort to maintain control over individuals through the threat of exposure. If a political figure can be manipulated by their sexual indiscretions, their loyalty is not just bought – it’s owned. Beyond individual examples, these cases reveal a systemic method of control that extends into international political decisions, such as support for and complicity in genocidal actions in Gaza.
Political control through the threat of exposure
Sex scandals have always held immense power over political figures. Unlike financial scandals, which can be explained away or overshadowed by larger economic contributions, sexual misconduct – especially involving minors – can permanently stain a politician’s reputation. It attacks the very core of their morality and threatens to dismantle their integrity. Public figures, particularly in Western societies where sexual purity and moral righteousness are supposedly emphasised, live in constant fear of these skeletons being exposed.
The Epstein scandal illustrates the extreme fear that sexual misconduct holds over powerful men and women. Once a figure is compromised through illicit sexual activity, especially with minors or vulnerable individuals, they are at the mercy of those who possess the evidence. This allows for absolute control. Politicians who are trapped in this web of moral decay will do anything to protect their secrets, even if it means supporting genocidal actions, such as those carried out in Gaza.
The standing ovations given to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by members of the U.S. Congress after his speeches raise eyebrows. Netanyahu is known for spreading lies and propaganda, yet members of Congress appear ‘owned’, clapping over 50 times. Upon closer inspection of their facial expressions and body language, one might notice the vacant, almost fearful look in their eyes – a look that suggests that some of these leaders are not merely politically or financially motivated but controlled by something far more sinister.
It is arguable that, for some of these individuals, supporting the genocide in Gaza is about self-preservation. The greatest threat to their careers and personal lives is not losing money but losing their moral standing and reputation. Individuals caught in these traps know that with all the propaganda tools at their disposal, they can dominate the narrative to contend that it is ‘morally correct’ to genocide the ‘terrorist Hamas’ to preserve Western ‘values’ and ‘freedoms’ from the ‘uncivilised’ Arabs, in order to protect their secrets. Ergo, they remain complicit, trapped in a system that leverages their sexual indiscretions to ensure their silence, complicity and obedience. Keeping up appearances comes at a significant cost, particularly when one’s innocence may be overshadowed by the circumstances, associations and how they’re framed by the camera lens. In such cases, even a misleading context can tell a different, damaging story. This understanding of sexual control sheds new light on many of the Western political elite’s willingness to ignore, justify and support the atrocities in Gaza and the continued ethnic cleansing of the West Bank and occupied Palestinian territories.
Slowly, more information is emerging which relates to damaging information on high-profile political figures, potentially implicating them in sexual blackmail schemes. Taking the lives of the whistle-blowers, often depicted as a ‘suspicious fate in custody’ – reminiscent of Jeffrey Epstein, a scenario Hillary Clinton herself once joked about – raises serious questions about the extent to which the fear of exposure influences political decision-making among elites.
These incidents are not isolated; they tell a disturbing story of persistent harm with profound implications for all of us.
Let me now bring it home. The conference under the title African Global Dialogue at Constitution Hill in South Africa, set for late September, was perceived by many as an attempt to whitewash the ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Cloaked in the rhetoric of so-called ‘dialogue’, feigning a commitment to peace talks while simultaneously perpetuating grave atrocities. Additionally, several speakers listed as participants in the dialogue publicly disclosed that they had never been approached to participate, while others revealed they had not consented.
The Director of New South Initiative (NSI) that would host the dialogue, Ivor Chipkin, tried to publicly undermine South Africa’s legal efforts at the International Court of Justice, dismissing the Palestinian right to resist occupation. [NSI receives funding from The Millennium Trust, which was established by Capitec co-founder Michiel le Roux in 2010.]
Chipkin’s remarks, made soon after South Africa presented its opening statement to the ICJ, were seen as an attempt to discredit the country’s legal team. Chipkin, an Oppenheimer fellow, has held prestigious academic posts at institutions such as the University of Oxford, Wits University and the University of Cape Town. However, his history is tainted by controversy. In 2018 he resigned as executive director of the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) following allegations of sexual harassment.
This raises an urgent question: How can we entrust our institutions and leaders to navigate a path that genuinely uplifts people when many of those in power appear to lack basic respect for human dignity? The very people tasked with shaping public discourse and policy often seem more aligned with protecting elite interests, calling into question their commitment to justice and truth.
As long as political, media and corporate elites persist in unethical behaviour trying desperately to ‘fit in’ and be like the Jones’s, they remain vulnerable to blackmail over their ‘alleged’ sexual misconduct. Global policies – including those that allow genocide to continue – will continue to be shaped by coercion rather than moral conviction. The world must demand transparency and accountability to break this cycle of control, starting with a full investigation into the sealed Epstein documents and the political figures they implicate.
- Quraysha Ismail Sooliman is a PostDoctoral Researcher in the Department of Political Sciences at the University of Pretoria. This work is research supported by the National Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS)
