Which is worse, Israel’s lies about Gaza or its western backers who repeat those lies?

‘After a relentless anti-Unrwa campaign which culminated in the unproven accusations … 16 donor countries suspended … funding to the agency.’ Composite: Reuters, AFP via Getty Images, AP

“The Italians having a proverb,” wrote the 17th-century British courtier Anthony Weldon, “‘He that deceives me once, its his fault; but if twice, it’s my fault.’”

Today, we commonly summarize that old Italian proverb as: “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.”