While Israelis and Palestinians welcomed an end to war, (until Hamas repeatedly broke the ceasefire), Montague residents recently approved an anti-Israel “Apartheid free resolution.”
The real oppressor of Palestinians is Hamas, a terrorist organization that uses civilians as human shields to improve its propaganda war on Israel. They stopped Gazans from leaving war zones when warnings were given by the IDF, diverted millions in aid funding to use for missiles and terrorist tunnels, (which could have been the world’s largest bomb shelter), stole food to starve civilians, and now use the same tactics they used on Israel; hiding in ambulances and kospitals. Over 50 Gazans have recently been executed by Hamas as it strengthens its hold on Gaza. In a recent Facebook post, Palestinian Ahmed Alkhatib reels against Western enablers of Hamas.
Palestinians used to have total freedom of movement in Israel. The blockade of Gaza and the wall between Israel and the West Bank were built not for apartheid, but to provide protection from relentless terror attacks on Israeli civilians. The Gaza blockade by Israel and Egypt began after Hamas took control in 2007, and the West Bank barrier was constructed during the Second Intifada as a response to suicide bombings.
When Israel is singled out and atrocities everywhere else are ignored, it is antisemitism.
Jews were ethnically cleansed from every Muslim country, (where they had many restrictions and paid a non-Muslim tax). In contrast, citizens of Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East, experience no gender apartheid, and people of all faiths (including Druze, Christians, and Shia and Suni Muslims) have equal rights.
Rhonda Wainshilbaum
Leyden