Palestine

Mayor Miro Weinberger calls for community-wide support of Burlington’s Palestinian, Muslim, and Arab neighbors and invites Vermonters to join a candlelight vigil at the intersection of Pearl and Church Street.

From the organizers:

Join us to stand against hate crimes in Vermont and everywhere! Last night three Palestinian students were shot in Burlington in an apparent hate crime. We stand in solidarity with these students and with Palestine! Rally outside Burlington City Hall on the Church Street steps.

From the organizers:

On International Day of Action, Vermonters to join flood of protests around the country calling for Israel-Hamas ceasefire, stop to Israeli military aid. Adding to the spate of anti-war and pro-peace demonstrations around the country, hundreds of Vermonters led by Jewish Voice for Peace will rally to demand that our congressional delegation:

• publicly call for a lasting ceasefire between the Israeli government and Hamas,
• stop military aid to the Israeli government,
• and give humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza

In the past weeks, thousands of activists have demonstrated in cities, held sit-ins outside of congressional offices, and shut down businesses demanding an end to the Israeli government’s indiscriminate bombing campaign, contributing to the largest anti-war protests since the Iraq War of 2003. 

The U.S. government is supporting the Israeli government in its open threats to commit war crimes and genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza, with our tax dollars. But more weapons will only bring more harm to everyone. As Jews and allies, we know what happens when people are called animals — and we will not be silent. We must address the root causes of violence in the region: Israeli military occupation and apartheid, and our own government’s role in funding this oppression. When we do so, we will affirm that each and every life is precious, and help ensure the safety of Palestinian, Jewish, and all people everywhere.

Convened by Jewish Voice for Peace-Vermont, hundreds of Vermonters of diverse backgrounds will gather to say, “Never again, for anyone.” Speakers include Jewish faith leaders and people with personal experience of the Rwandan genocide. Sponsoring organizations include: Cooperation Vermont, Education Justice Coalition of Vermont, FreeHer, If Not Now, Migrant Justice, Party for Socialism and Liberation, Rural Vermont, Tempest Collective, UVM Students for Justice in Palestine, Vermonters for Justice in Palestine, Vermont Peace and AntiWar Coalition, and Veterans for Peace.

From the community producer, Stephen Kastner:

Where was the Vermont mainstream media? Shame on WCAX-TV 3, VTDigger, Seven Days, Burlington Free Press, Vermont Public; all crickets when approximately a thousand people gathered in Battery Park in Burlington, Vermont on November 4th to march through the city in support of the Palestinian people caught in the crossfire of a brutal war.