To hear more audio stories from publications like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The spectacle of a mass flight out of Ukraine was resonating deeply in the Middle East on Saturday, with many taking to social media to express their sympathy and to commiserate with the plight of those now forced to flee their homes amid a Russian military invasion. But in a region that has been plagued by seemingly endless wars, the empathy was tinged with bitterness from some who saw European nations taking a more compassionate stance toward the Ukrainians than they had in recent years toward Arab and Muslim migrants trying desperately to reach the safety of Europe’s shores. Images of ravaged cities from Syria and Iraq to Libya and Yemen circulated online, with memes and comments accusing Western democracies of stoking violence and destabilizing these countries while evading responsibility and applying double standards, especially in their treatment of refugees.

Source: Libya Today March 02, 2022 20:29 UTC