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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
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).
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