Never Again! Means Never Again for Anyone!
New Paltz Women in Black have stood in front of Elting Library every Saturday for almost 22 years. We stand for peace and justice, against wars and militarism, for Black lives, for women's rights and LGTBQ rights, and to save our ravished environment from further degradation.
And we have stood for Palestinian rights, because the Palestinian people have been pushed off their lands, subjected to checkpoints to prevent them from moving freely, had their homes demolished and their fields burned, and their children kidnapped in the middle of the night and thrown into Israeli prisons, where they languish without parents or lawyers, and where they can be held under military rule indefinitely without trial or charges. (These are many of the prisoners who were to be exchanged for Hamas's hostages, if those hostages are not killed first by Netanyahu's bombs or trigger-happy soldiers.)
In Gaza, an Israeli blockade since 2007 has prevented free movement to and from Gaza, including students unable to attend universities abroad, cancer patients unable to travel to get medical care in other parts of the region, families who can't see relatives in the West Bank or in Israel or in neighboring countries. Gaza has been called the largest open-air prison in the world. Peaceful demonstrations are fired upon by Israeli sharpshooters, and there are no consequences to an Israeli soldier or settler for killing a Palestinian.
Fifty percent of Gaza's 2.2 million people are under 19, which means they've known nothing but blockade and privation for their entire lives.
Why do we care about this? There's plenty of injustice in the world. Why are we focusing on the plight of the Palestinians? Because this injustice is being paid for and approved by the United States Government, using our tax money to the tune of almost $4 Billion per year. U.S. law stipulates that we must not provide foreign aid to any country that is committing human rights abuses. Our money should not be going to Israel to prop up its unjust occupation, land theft, abuse, blockade, home demolitions, and military rule over Palestinians.
On October 7, the pressure cooker blew. Hamas fighters broke out of their prison and attacked nearby civilians and military personnel, killing many and taking hundreds hostage. New Paltz Women in Black agrees with most of the world that there is no justification for the indiscriminate killing of civilians or the holding of civilian hostages.
And now, horrifyingly, the Israeli and American governments are weaponizing the Israeli deaths to fuel a genocidal war against Palestinian civilians in Gaza. This war is a continuation of 75 years of Israeli occupation and ethnic cleansing, and is an attempt to eliminate Palestinians as a demographic factor in historic Palestine.
Since October 7, nearly 20,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed in a relentless bombing campaign. Over 80 journalists, plus poets, professors, actors, and intellectuals have died. The Israeli government and military have wrought complete and total devastation on Palestinian life across Gaza, attacking hospitals, schools, universities, libraries, cultural centers, mosques, marketplaces, and apartment buildings. They have shut off all electricity. No food is coming into Gaza, no drinkable water, no fuel for cooking or staying warm, no medicines for the sick, the elderly, the newborn. After more than two months, starvation and disease have begun to take a toll. Netanyahu has said the Israeli response will "reverberate for generations," and cars carry bumper stickers reading "Finish them." Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that Israel is "fighting human animals" and should "act accordingly."
We all know what happens when people are dehumanized as a group.
We can and must stop the imminent genocide of Palestinians. Never Again! means never again for anyone!
We demand our government immediately stop sending weapons to the Israeli military and using its veto in the Security Council to stop a resolution for an immediate ceasefire. We condemn the "new McCarthyism," right-wing attempts to shut down the conversation about Israeli atrocities, and deliberately conflating criticism of Israel with antisemitism.
Tell Pat Ryan to support the Congressional Ceasefire Resolution, which now has over 60 congressional signatures.
And stand with us next Saturday and every Saturday to demand an immediate permanent ceasefire.
Naomi Allen
New Paltz Women in Black have stood in front of Elting Library every Saturday for almost 22 years. We stand for peace and justice, against wars and militarism, for Black lives, for women's rights and LGTBQ rights, and to save our ravished environment from further degradation.
And we have stood for Palestinian rights, because the Palestinian people have been pushed off their lands, subjected to checkpoints to prevent them from moving freely, had their homes demolished and their fields burned, and their children kidnapped in the middle of the night and thrown into Israeli prisons, where they languish without parents or lawyers, and where they can be held under military rule indefinitely without trial or charges. (These are many of the prisoners who were to be exchanged for Hamas's hostages, if those hostages are not killed first by Netanyahu's bombs or trigger-happy soldiers.)
In Gaza, an Israeli blockade since 2007 has prevented free movement to and from Gaza, including students unable to attend universities abroad, cancer patients unable to travel to get medical care in other parts of the region, families who can't see relatives in the West Bank or in Israel or in neighboring countries. Gaza has been called the largest open-air prison in the world. Peaceful demonstrations are fired upon by Israeli sharpshooters, and there are no consequences to an Israeli soldier or settler for killing a Palestinian.
Fifty percent of Gaza's 2.2 million people are under 19, which means they've known nothing but blockade and privation for their entire lives.
Why do we care about this? There's plenty of injustice in the world. Why are we focusing on the plight of the Palestinians? Because this injustice is being paid for and approved by the United States Government, using our tax money to the tune of almost $4 Billion per year. U.S. law stipulates that we must not provide foreign aid to any country that is committing human rights abuses. Our money should not be going to Israel to prop up its unjust occupation, land theft, abuse, blockade, home demolitions, and military rule over Palestinians.
On October 7, the pressure cooker blew. Hamas fighters broke out of their prison and attacked nearby civilians and military personnel, killing many and taking hundreds hostage. New Paltz Women in Black agrees with most of the world that there is no justification for the indiscriminate killing of civilians or the holding of civilian hostages.
And now, horrifyingly, the Israeli and American governments are weaponizing the Israeli deaths to fuel a genocidal war against Palestinian civilians in Gaza. This war is a continuation of 75 years of Israeli occupation and ethnic cleansing, and is an attempt to eliminate Palestinians as a demographic factor in historic Palestine.
Since October 7, nearly 20,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed in a relentless bombing campaign. Over 80 journalists, plus poets, professors, actors, and intellectuals have died. The Israeli government and military have wrought complete and total devastation on Palestinian life across Gaza, attacking hospitals, schools, universities, libraries, cultural centers, mosques, marketplaces, and apartment buildings. They have shut off all electricity. No food is coming into Gaza, no drinkable water, no fuel for cooking or staying warm, no medicines for the sick, the elderly, the newborn. After more than two months, starvation and disease have begun to take a toll. Netanyahu has said the Israeli response will "reverberate for generations," and cars carry bumper stickers reading "Finish them." Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that Israel is "fighting human animals" and should "act accordingly."
We all know what happens when people are dehumanized as a group.
We can and must stop the imminent genocide of Palestinians. Never Again! means never again for anyone!
We demand our government immediately stop sending weapons to the Israeli military and using its veto in the Security Council to stop a resolution for an immediate ceasefire. We condemn the "new McCarthyism," right-wing attempts to shut down the conversation about Israeli atrocities, and deliberately conflating criticism of Israel with antisemitism.
Tell Pat Ryan to support the Congressional Ceasefire Resolution, which now has over 60 congressional signatures.
And stand with us next Saturday and every Saturday to demand an immediate permanent ceasefire.
Naomi Allen