Jewish Voice for Peace Vermont recently organized a rally in Burlington following the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas. Organizers want Vermont’s federal representatives to sign on to a resolution calling for a ceasefire.
A Ceasefire Now resolution was introduced in the U.S. House on October 16th by progressive Democrats urging the Biden Administration to call for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, and to also facilitate humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Last week Jewish Voice for Peace Vermont organized a rally outside Burlington City Hall as members of the group visited the state’s local congressional offices. Organizer Jamie Spector says they want the representatives to know there is a Jewish constituency in the state that seeks an immediate ceasefire.
“There is a ceasefire resolution in the House and we’re asking that [Congresswoman] Becca Balint sign onto that resolution demanding a ceasefire now, keeping humanitarian lines open and finally that not one more U.S. dollar is spent sending money or weapons to Israel for what really are war crimes that they are committing against the civilian population of Gaza," Spector said. "We also are asking our senators to step up and propose similar legislation in the Senate side.”
Spector adds that as the war takes lives in Israel and Gaza, it is also compromising safety here.
“You know it feels really important as Jewish Vermonters to stand up and speak and say that this violence and war committed against people in Gaza does not make Jewish people more safe," Spector said. "It does not make us feel more safe here in Vermont and it’s not leading to more safety for people in Israel either. And It’s an act in collective punishment against a civilian population with over 7,000 people, several thousand children, have been killed in Gaza. And it’s just a really atrocious situation.”
Congresswoman Becca Balint, a Democrat, has not signed the Ceasefire Now resolution. In a statement Friday she emphasized her support of Israel’s right to defend itself and in a conversation on WAMC’s Congressional Corner on October 11th, she said it’s crucial that humanitarian aid be allowed into Gaza.
“Hamas is a terror organization," Balint said. "That’s what they do. They terrorize Israelis but they also terrorize Palestinians. And we’ve been so concerned, when I say we I mean my colleagues in Congress. We’re very concerned about making sure that there continues to be humanitarian aid going to Gaza. We want to make sure that food and water gets through. And we brought up the issue of making sure there are safe corridors. Because you don’t want a situation where Hamas continues to use Palestinian civilians as human shields and, unfortunately, we’ve seen that.”
Eighteen Democratshave co-sponsored the House Ceasefire Now resolution. There is no similar measure in the Senate.
