BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Will a question in support of Palestine that also condemns support to Israel be on Burlington’s Town Meeting Day ballot? That’s a question councilors will address at Monday’s City Council meeting.
More than 1,500 Burlington residents signed on in support of putting the advisory question on the ballot. The resolution calls for justice in Palestine, opposes all forms of racism, and an end to what the petitioners call “Israel’s apartheid regime, settler colonialism and military occupation.”
Wafic Faour, who is part of Vermonters for Justice in Palestine, believes the citizens need the opportunity to weigh in.
“It is not a divisive issue. It’s not a religious issue, because many of our Jewish siblings are standing with us on this ballot. And we were hoping through this education to put pressure on our elected officials in general, to stop all kind of aid and condition the aids to Israel,” Faour said.
“We see it as antisemitic and also, it makes us feel less safe as Jewish Burlingtonians. If the town were to vote and say, ‘This is our stance on the Middle East conflict,’ that would give even more fire to people who are hating and delegitimizing Israel and the Jewish people,” said Rabbi Aaron Philmus of the Ohavi Zedek Synagogue in Burlington.
The City Council will decide whether to put the resolution on the Town Meeting Day ballot. Councilors I talked to are divided along party lines, with Democrats opposed and Progressives in favor.
“I think anytime voters sign a petition to put something on the ballot and vote on it, it sends a message, sends a message to our federal elected officials, to the president, to the U.S. government that is supporting this violence in Palestine,” said Joe Magee, P-Burlington City Council.
Most Democratic councilors I spoke to say they intend to vote “no.” If they do vote along party lines, it appears this measure will not end up on the ballot.
Monday’s council meeting is expected to be extremely well-attended with lots of public comment.