In these terrible times of ramped up political violence, including the murder of a protester in Minneapolis, it's extraordinary to open HVI and see a letter that seems to threaten lethal violence against the Women in Black who stand outside the library each Saturday. This letter is in line with the verbal and physical bullying carried out by the pro-Israel counter-protesters across the street--obvious to any observer, and serious enough that WIB has had to request police protection.
The claim that WIB does not protest wars other than Israel's is manifestly untrue. An example: last week's vigil included signs protesting the bombing and kidnapping in Venezuela and demanding an end to this reckless aggression.
Over the years WIB has stood against injustice on many different fronts including climate breakdown and reproductive rights. Since October 2023 the group has focused on the carnage in Gaza and the West Bank because the US is bankrolling it, making US taxpayers directly complicit in these horrendous massacres (not the case, for example, in Ukraine or Sudan). It is our responsibility--yours and mine--to do all we can to end it.
And no, the genocide is not over: as of early January over 400 people have been killed in Israeli bombings since the so-called ceasefire, including at least 70 children. Hundreds more have died from starvation, exposure, and disease. The numbers grow daily.
Jo