Birong visits Israel amid ongoing Gaza war

State Rep. Matt Birong’s visit to Israel, paid for by the Israeli government, has drawn criticism from his constituents.

We should all decry the current Israeli actions that have led to widespread deaths and starvation of Palestinian residents in Gaza.

The politics of the Mideast can be discussed endlessly and there will be those who disagree, but there is no need for further debate regarding the need to stop the killing and starvation.

Two commentaries in the Times Argus & Rutland Herald, Week-End Edition, April 13-14, are a must read to help understand the situation in Israel and the Gaza Strip: David Gram, “First Amendment violation,” and John Nassivera, “Nationalism’s false god.” … (read more)

When terrorists attacked the Kibbutz Nahal Oz in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, Nikita Soumrov and his family hid in their safe room. He will speak in Middlebury on April 4 about the experience.

In answer to the editorial, “Pull the Plug on Israel, Joe:”

The recent killing of three hostages by the Israeli military makes it even more clear that war has never been and will never be the answer.

There have been five wars in the last 15 years between Israel and Hamas. How do we end the current one and prevent a sixth from happening, sooner or later?

History is important. Teaching it and remembering it is crucial to maintaining our democracy. Much outrage is being expressed in our nation, state, and community of Middlebury about the Israeli bombing of Gaza.

How can it be that after all these centuries of “progress,” we humans still try to resolve our differences by killing each other and destroying what we have labored to build?

In these unbearably long weeks since Hamas’ October 7 terrorist attacks on Israel, acts of really listening to one another have been in very short supply.

I don’t know a single Jewish person who doesn’t know someone directly impacted by the war. Whether you’re religiously observant or secular, Zionist or not, Jews are connected to Israel in some way.

As the Israel-Hamas war continues to unfold overseas, members of the Middlebury College and surrounding community are grieving the lives lost in recent violent attacks as well as looking to share more information about the ongoing conflict. 

No one could say who they were./ The men at the perimeter./ Why they appeared in uniforms./ Seemed to be wearing badges/ stitched into their shirts./ At this distance five-pointed stars.

I am horrified at the collective punishment now being meted out to the civilians of Gaza.