Dear Editor,  In my recent letter to VTDigger, I expressed my concerns over the United States’ continued support of Israel despite the country’s genocidal actions against Palestinian and Lebanese people. Mark Treinkman’s letter in response, signed by members of the Vermont Friends of Isra el, claims that my strong opinions must stem from a lack of Holocaust education and antisemitism in Vermont.  This is not true. What is true is that the tragedies of the Holocaust should not be repeated anywhere. Genocide is something that should never be taken lightly, and the hateful, destructive actions in Nazi Germany against Jewish people should never be forgotten. However, focusing on and educating about just one genocide, one group of people, is a questionable tactic. It is important to be educated on the Holocaust, but it shouldn’t be viewed as more tragic or more worthy of knowledge and respect than atrocities committed against other groups of people.  Just as we should not forget the Holocaust, we must not continue to ignore the annihilation of innocent civilians in Gaza. While Treinkman and other members of the Vermont Friends of Israel may question the depth of my education and that of other Vermont students, if there is one thing I’ve always been taught, it is that we learn history to ensure it does not repeat itself.  When talking about the conflicts between Israel and Gaza, the topic of antisemitism is bound to come up. What is so difficult about that conversation is the way that criticism of Israel is often conflated with prejudice against Jewish people. Falsely equating human rights advocacy for Palestinian and Lebanese people to antisemitism discredits and undermines the real, vicious and persistent problem of antisemitism when it arises in Vermont and around the world. There has been a rise in anti-Jewish violence over the past few years, and it is something that we must strongly condemn. But it is not acceptable to use the label of antisemitism as a tool to protect problematic governments from ever facing criticism. As a young person, it is my responsibility to uphold my values and standards for the future, and this cannot be done if we continue to protect the most problematic behavior of governments with our silence.  READ MORE While the topic of the Israel-Hamas war is complex and something that should not be underestimated, I stand by my belief that the United States is lawfully obliged to stop providing Israel with weapons and military support. Under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, the United States is prohibited from providing security assistance, including weapons sales, to any government that engages in a consistent pattern of gross violations of human rights.  The Israeli government’s actions toward Palestinians have given cause for utmost humanitarian concern, and to many, including the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry, it is unquestionably considered genocide. Attacks by the Israeli government on medical facilities, open firings on those trying to access food — claims denied by Israel — and bombings of civilian areas, including refugee camps and schools, have led to devastating destruction and a staggering number of deaths. According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, the Palestinian death toll in the Gaza Strip stands near 73,400 since Oct. 7, 2023, with many bodies likely unaccounted for in the rubble.  The systematic expulsion of people from their homes, the denial of medical services, the deprivation of food, forced displacement and creating circumstances that would lead to a slow death — such as a lack of proper housing, clothing or hygiene — are all indicators of the genocide crime of deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about a group’s physical destruction, although again many of these claims have been denied by Israel. However, there is no way to deny the desolation that the Israeli government has caused among Palestinians.  This is why I must reiterate the importance of Senate Resolution 797, introduced by Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., which requests an investigation of Israel’s human rights practices. He should push this privileged resolution to a floor vote. From the Holocaust to apartheid to the situation in Gaza and Lebanon today, genocide is woven into the history of our species. It is up to us to foster a better future, and that begins with refusing to enable the catastrophic actions of those in power.  Zoya BianchiWaterbury, Vt. Read the story on VTDigger here: Antisemitism isn’t a shield for Israel’s human rights record. ...read more read less