by Peter Fernandez
Have you ever heard of Vermonters for Justice & Peace in Palestine? Two decades ago, 12 Chittenden county residents organized a “grassroots effort” to disparage the Jewish state.
This Burlington-based political group for years has been sharing a bizarre “alternate universe” propaganda e-page replete with preposterous maps: “What if Israel Invaded Vermont? – Wall built in Montpelier forces out Vermonters; 100 Military Checkpoints!”
Bigoted revisionist belief systems have nothing to do with history, facts, and other realities. Presenting the Jewish State as an unhinged renegade entity, like Iran or North Korea, is one thing, but to libel Israel an invasive political virus is quite another. That’s a set of lies that Julius Streicher, founder and publisher of the Nazi tabloid Der Sturmer would approve.
VTJP exploits our state as an alternate “occupied territory” in a fancied Bizarro-World conflict zone. Their published mission statement includes even more manipulative language: “brutal Israeli occupation” and “settler-colonial project in the occupied Palestinian territories,” including “the horrific siege of Gaza.” To misinform the already misinformed that Gaza is still occupied is a lie. Israel left Gaza in 2005, but Egypt still occupies Gaza’s southern border, which VTJP ignores.
“There is not a single Israeli soldier, policeman, settler or citizen in Gaza,” writes Alan Dershowitz in a September 26 Gatestone Institute article.
Gaza could have become Singapore on the Mediterranean, with a seacoast, farming and democracy. Instead Hamas overthrew the legitimate government of Gaza by force and assas-sination. In effect, Hamas ‘occupied’ Gaza.
Last month, VTJP, and other progressive haters attempted to make Burlington the first city in the USA to include BDS (Boycott, Divest, Sanctions) to their town charter. They failed because people stood up to the lunatic fringe, especially the Chittenden County Jewish community and Mayor Weinberger.
When and why were Vermonters for Justice & Peace in Palestine formed? Their first meeting was hosted in April 2001 by late professor of propaganda, Sister Miriam Ward, at Trinity College.
Originally calling themselves “Vermonters for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel, the tenacious 12 are now supplemented by a haughty gang of selfless supporters, and an office located at 60 Lake Street in Burlington. UVM and Middlebury College pro-Palestine groups, VTJP, and a cornucopia of other BDS organizations produce polluted fruit to feed and sustain today’s anti-Zionist media and campus culture. It’s cool to sport a keffiyeh and be a pro-Palestine activist, especially on campus, where left-wing academics indoctrinate our impressionable youth, as well as bully and alienate Jewish and Christian students.
The tip of today’s anti-Israel & American spear is Democrat Congress-women Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts. Regarding the Squad, Alan Dershowitz explains why they do not reflect the Democratic Party’s mainstream policies.
“They represent niche districts that are not typical of the Democratic base,” Dershowitz said. “They could not be elected in any statewide race, because they lack the widespread support.”
“They were nominated because of low turnout in primaries and were elected because their districts are overwhelmingly Democrat. They are fringe Democrats who should not have influence beyond their districts. But the House leadership has exaggerated their significance and given them more power than they deserve.”
These fanatics always seem to be posing for press conferences, never making time to earn their over-inflated pay-grade by passing bills. VTJP backs these Congresswomen’s efforts to remove the monies necessary to sustain Israel’s Iron Dome. However, last week the House passed a stand-alone bill authorizing $1 billion in funding for Iron Dome munitions. By a 420-9 margin, the bill passed with eight Democrats and one Republican against.
“The fact that the Squad would try to deny Israel the right to defend its civilians speaks volumes about their lack of morality and decency among Squad members and their allies,” continues Dershowitz. “It follows from this effort that the Squad will oppose any and all aid to Israel, including protecting their innocent civilians against Iran’s nuclear threat. The obvious goal of Squad members is to deny Israel the right to defend itself against aggression. At least one of its members has denied that Israel has the right to exist.”
Vermonters for Justice & Peace in Palestine and the Squad are tempests in a cracked teapot. These virtue-signaling, sign-carrying egoists on Church Street are, indeed, the Green Mountain State’s wasted and woke wanna-be allies to the Phonus-Balognus Foursome in Washington D.C..
The author is a Northfield resident.