An Israeli soldier’s story

You all know I’ve been to Palestine twice with other VFP members, and have long been very interested in the Israeli/Palestinian situation. Some years ago, I had dinner with a former IDF soldier, Eran Efrati in NYC at a friend’s house. She wanted us to meet. That same friend just sent me this link to a talk Eran gave on March 3, 2014 in Denver. It’s 40 minutes. I can sincerely say I have never, ever seen or heard or read anything about Palestine so powerfully delivered and that so related six years ago to what is happening in Portland these past 60 days. His talk is very intense. I was close to crying a few times from the emotional impact .. . and there is, as you almost always find from Israeli anti-zionists, humor as well. I’d say it’s something everyone should watch. You’ll see what I mean. His ending (don’’t skip to it) is surprising.

The 40 minutes went by timelessly. I was not aware of time passing. That’s how powerful and pertinent it is. 

An Israeli soldier’s story

https://youtu.be/93hqlmrZKd8

Tarak Kauff

Dear Congressman Delgado

Dear Congressman Delgado, 

Thank you for your reply.  I doubt a two state solution is a viable possibility given the vast extent of Israeli's settlement activity in the West Bank.  However, that is a decision best left to Palestinians and Israelis.  What I do know is that H.Res. 326 is a toothless response by Congress and will have no real effect on the outcome.   If you need evidence of that, I would just remind you that similar resolutions were introduced, with broad Democratic support, in 2019.  They had no deterrent effect.  I would urge you to support Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez' resolution barring the use of US taxpayer funds to support Israel's annexation of Palestinian lands.  Anything less is hand-wringing at best.  How can we provide Israel with more aid than any other country in the world and do not more than plaintively complain when it uses those funds to violate international law? 

Sincerely, 

Felice Gelman

To the editor:

To the editor:

Police violence is probably the most obvious state-sanctioned,  “in your face” violence -particularly if your face is black or brown.     Defunding the police is a good  beginning - but just scratches the surface.    Martin Luther King reminded us that  the largest purveyor  of violence in the world is the US military.   Military violence causes unspeakable suffering  for all living creatures - human and otherwise.  Irag, Afghanistan, Yemen, the Congo,  Kashmir, and Palestine.  It’s the violence of guns,  bombs, napalm, land mines,  tanks,  jet fighters,  Cruise missiles, submarines, battle ships,  Apache helicopters,   and  ultimately nuclear bombs which cause  horrifying  death, suffering, sickness, and starvation  for millions around the globe.  It  also causes devastating   environmental  contamination from substances like depleted uranium and  agent orange in Vietnam. 

So yes , let’s  start with defunding racist police violence.  But we must  move on to address the real threats to  life on this planet.  Let’s  defund our  military  (ideally, ALL militaries).   And while we’re at it, let’s  defund all the violent enterprises -  like   mining,  logging, and oil drilling.  Defund all activities that hurt mother earth,  we humans,  and all the helpless and voiceless creatures on this planet. 

Our  tax dollars for military  spending are bankrupting us financially and  morally.   It’s why  we can’t afford  universal free health care,  good housing, decent public transportation,  and free education.  Maybe if  Americans had  programs  like these we wouldn’t need to live in a police state.  Defunding our military and instituting programs to help and support people  -   that would truly make America great. 

Eli Kassirer

Palestinian children need our protection

Defund the police, defund apartheid!

U.S. Rep. Antonio Delgado, D-Rhinebeck, is shown at the Daily Freeman office 

in Kingston, N.Y., in February 2020. Tania Barricklo — Daily Freeman file

Letter: Urge Rep. Delgado to back Israel bill

Cheryl Qamar

https://www.dailyfreeman.com/opinion/letter-urge-rep-delgado-to-back-israel-bill/article_08931fe6-bda0-11ea-9764-b33633c551da.html

Dear Editor,

During this time of upheaval, nationally and worldwide, there has been notable movement to address injustice systemically. One such hopeful movement was the local passage of an anti-racism resolution by the Kingston Board of Education on Juneteenth. In this resolution, the board recognizes its role in “addressing social inequities in the world, country and in our own school district” and resolved to support initiatives “that will end systemic racism and provide equal opportunity and equal justice for all.” BRAVO to KCSD!

A far less hopeful sign has been the avoidance of our local Congressional representative, Antonio Delgado, D-Rhinebeck, to sign HR 2407, No Way to Treat a Child Act.

So, with the blessing of our government, Israel continues to automatically prosecute children in military courts. The so-called “democratic state of Israel” maintains two legal systems: civilian rule and military law. Palestinians are subjected to military law. And, currently, Israel is planning to unilaterally annex part of the West Bank. These actions are not the path toward full equality and lay the groundwork for Israel to become an apartheid state (as predicted by John Kerry in 2014.) This systemic and widespread abuse is supported with our taxpayer dollars (included in the $3.8 billion we give Israel annually).