jUNe Day in Westport is a decades-long tradition.
A couple of hundred United Nations employees — staff members and their families (with an occasional ambassador) — come from New York, by train or bus.
jUNe Day guests, enjoying a Jesup Green Breakfast.
They’re welcomed at a brief breakfast, by town officials. A message from the Secretary-General is read.
1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker (seated, left) waits to give jUNe Day greetings. At the podium is Bill Hass, United Nations Association Southwest Connecticut chapter president.
Then they head out, with local volunteers, to experience a summer day in the suburbs. They’re invited to Longshore, Compo, Earthplace and Wakeman Town Farm. They swim, play tennis and golf and soccer, shop and eat.
It’s a well-oiled machine.
Today, for perhaps the first time ever, a bit of politics intruded.
Over 150 residents partnered with the Connecticut chapter of #EndJewHatred to organize a protest.
It was silent, out of respect for the town and Great Duck Race activities, going on simultaneously.
Part of this morning’s crowd at Jesup Green.
The event began at the Westport Woman’s Club parking lot, with prayers for the hostages and Israeli Defense Forces.
Holding signs and wearing t-shirts, protestors then walked a short distance to Jesup Green.
Organizers told “06880”: “We are Westporters. We are Westport neighbors who support the town’s economy.
“We are Jews. Maybe some of us are non-Jews.
“We are Zionists.
“We are parents. Maybe some of us have college students who face extreme antisemitism on their campuses.
“We are angry about the UN’s egregious bias against Israel, and the fact that our tax dollars are being used to host representatives of the United Nations, particularly this year, after the horrific events of October 7, and the consistently glaring antisemitic/anti-Israel efforts to delegitimize the only Jewish state.”
Celia Kaner Offir (left) and Elise Meyer. In Israel, Celia met the father of the 2 kidnapped brothers, whose faces are on her poster.
They said that the UN has “done nothing to release the remaining 116 hostages, representing 54 different countries— not just Israel — over the last 9 months.
“The UN was silent on the rape and sexual violence used against Israeli women on October 7 for months.
“Staffers of the UN agency of UNRWA were directly involved in the October 7 Hamas attack and subsequent murder and kidnapping of Israelis.
“The UN will still not condemn Hamas using its name.
“The UN singles out Israel with resolution after resolution while countries like North Korea and Iran are barely sanctioned.”
“The preposterous false charges of genocide against Israel are meritless, counterproductive and hypocritical.”
(All photos/Dan Woog)
Organizers added, “we understand that jUNe day has gone on here for 50-plus years.
“We understand that in its inception, it was not meant to be a political statement or event. However, today, the UN is a highly politically divisive organization, and inviting their employees to our town for a day in the sun is simply no longer acceptable to us.
“Sometimes the status quo needs to change. Just because we’ve operated one way for 50 years, doesn’t mean it’s appropriate going forward.
“We are all for international hospitality, but we should be hosting an organization that stands for universal equality for all.”
I agree with these protestors 100%. Cudo’s to them for keeping it civil. IMHO, the UN should be kicked out of the USA as it no longer displays our core values. Then again, it does display 100% of “NewYorkistan’s” values. It is time for Westport’s town administration to stop their ever-present virtue-signaling.
how bout people that urinate and defacate in the capital ? should they be kicked out ??
What does this have to do with the event and protest today? Why does everything have to circle back to January 6th? You are only taking attention away from this issue?
because the comment on good point and commebt. thanks. because the commenter requested that certain behaviors and actions be evicted from the USA. Many groups that supported Jan 6 are proud boys and oath keepers. They are anti semites. When Trump said there are good and bad in Charlottesville regarding Natzi matching with tiki lamps and protestors who stood opposing the Natzis I am extremely baffled why some who strongly oppose the United Nations anti demotic policies can at the same time support a candidate who refuses to condemn the white suprenacist organizations that hate Jews and Israel. You can’t have it both ways.
I write poorly. sorry. Consistent responses to anti semitism is crucial. You can’t have good citizenship in 1 activities or on 1 issue and poor citizenship on another. The USA is full of poor citizenship. We must act in a united country to fight anti semitic behavior. When a USA leader refuses to condem the prod boys you know stand back and stand by that infuriates me.
Defund the UN.
Let’s end June day in Westport. Enough is enough.
About time. Actually, long past overdue.
Westport used to be so welcoming and liberal (until that became a slur). It’s become one -sided and intolerant, not at all like the Westport we moved to in 1977. Where is the empathetic fairness for all who are hurt or killed?
Well said.
The UN is an anti-Semitic anti American money sucking and laundering operation that deserves no recognition or reward. 🇺🇸
Wish I had known since I would have joined. I am a proud Zionist, Jew and American. Who is speaking for the American hostages held by Hamas and Iran in Gaza? The UN is a den of bias and hypocrisy. Bring them home now.
How much does this cost the town? Is it really a good use of taxpayer resources?
IMO… UNfair. UNjust. UNjustifiable. UNproductive. UNunited. UNconstructive. UNashamed. In listening to the Secy General’s message, I thought how proper it would be for his country of Portugal (or Spain and other critical countries) to welcome in Gazans.
I’m declaring a new type of jUNe day. The UN stands for “using names.” If you write it, own it!
Good for those protesters – sadly, I believe their conclusions about today’s UN are well founded. It’s noteworthy that they conducted themselves with dignity and restraint; proof that a powerful message can be communicated peacefully and respectfully.
Excellent message via peaceful means. The employee/staff who came to Westport are not likely the decision makers at the UN but hopefully they take the message to heart and bring it back to those who are responsible for the unfair bias.
I find it regrettable that we cannot be hospitable to a group of public servants and their families because we disagree with what some perceive as their employer’s policies. Demonstrations such as this are unmannerly, impotent, self indulgent, and without a clear, realistically achievable goal. The demonstrators have available many more appropriate and more effective ways to make their views known.
The families who were invited to our town and those who hosted them deserve an apology.
I strongly disagree. The silent protest was a perfect way for people who feel that this event should no longer be funded by Westport to make a point without being disrespectful to those who came out. As someone who was part of the protest today and very strongly feels that my hard earned tax money should not be supporting an anti-Semitic organization that has done nothing to help the hostages (especially the American hostages) in crisis, I am so proud of what we achieved today! Am yisreal chai!
I was proudly there. I was not wearing a mask – proudly showing my face as was everyone else unlike the pro Hamas protests erupting around our country. We legally protested peacefully. I condemn the UN’s stance, inactions, and bias against Israel. I will not apologize for my constitutional right to peacefully protest the UN.
Don’t know which planet you’re living on, but the UN fosters a certain double-standard which is unmistakably anti-semitic. Its educational programs in the West Bank and Gaza have for decades taught nothing but the hatred and killing of Jews in every UNRWA-run school and camp (over 400 of them). The atmosphere of hate is bad enough within the UN – but when it spills into the streets of Greater America, we have reached a watershed moment, that is reminiscent of 1930’s Germany.
Now is not the time to be “impotent’ or ‘self-indulgent”- we know what that got us during 1940’s reign of the Third Reich.
NOW is the time to stand behind the State of Israel and the Jewish People and call out injustice wherever and whenever it rears its ugly anti-semitic head!
NEVER AGAIN!!!!!
we have freedom of speech and assembly in this country, unlike in most UN member states and all middle eastern countries with the exception of Israel. the demonstrators were peaceful and respectful. UN employees should hear that they work for an organization that most Americans find morally repugnant. would you have objected to a protest against visitors from the nazi German foreign ministry?
I find the protests against the UN and jUNe Day very sad, counter productive, and, unfortunately, very much in keeping with the angry, isolationist mood that currently grips our country. In addition to anti-Semitic, the USA is well on its way to becoming anti-Muslim, anti-black, anti-Latino, anti-immigrant, anti- gay and anti-you name it. Disengaging is the absolutely worst way to heal whatever ails us. Should we pull out of NATO if they offend us? To suggest that UN personnel are anti-Semites, and are no longer welcome to enjoy our town and be exposed to our citizens, their opinions, their concerns, and their hospitality is exactly how not to make the world and our town a better place.
Thanks, Mary-Lou.
how long do you and your husband think that you would be tolerated and allowed to speak out in Iran, or for that matter in the majority of UN member countries?
“… What a field day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Singing songs and they carrying signs
Mostly say, “Hooray for our side
It’s time we stop
Hey, what’s that sound?
Everybody look, what’s going down?”
– Stephen Stills
Where is Jen Tooker to condemn the UN’s treatment of Israel and Jews? Please tell me the Town does NOT spend to much of our local tax revenue to support these anti-semites, Where is Tooker’s comments being critical of the UN instead of kissing their asses?
Tooker is a former Dallas Conservative well above her pay grade. We need a professional city manager to run this, now, bustling “city” many of us used to love. The United Nations hasn’t done anything, with the exception of some humanitarian efforts, in the 50 years we have celebrated their existence. As for Israel, they have been fighting off their enemies since 1948. Bring the 9.5 million Jews to the USA where they can be safe, productive and starve off some of this lunacy of hatred here.
Can you please clarify this comment? It sounds like you are saying that since Israel’s genocidal enemies cannot accept a Jewish state, Israel should just cease to exist and all 9.5 million Jews can immigrate to America to be safe? This is highly offensive and I hope I’m just confused by your language.
Not sure if you’ve been following, but many Jews here, in the USA, do not feel safe anymore. Not to mention all the Jews fleeing France and other parts of the world. This is exactly why Israel must exist. Jews cannot trust any state to ever truly protect us, including here. Jews have been killed or expelled from every country in the world. And why should 9.5 million people be expected to flee their homes and the state that they worked so hard to make incredibly successful because intolerant, extremist, Jihadi countries and terrorists are calling for their destruction?
Jenna: You read it correctly. It is not working for Israel in the midst of the growing number of terrorists in the region and they have been fighting off enemies for 50 years now and sadly, I think it will just continue. I am sorry if you find this offensive but it ain’t working. Is this really how an Israeli wants to live? As for this country and others, I do not understand their bigotry and hatred. But I maintain, America may be the safest place for any Jew and will, hopefully, be embraced by my fellow Americans if they chose to flee.
Israel forever stand as a beacon of hope, democracy, progress and light in darkness. It is certainly not perfect and faces very difficult challenges within an environment of enemies. In spite of all its flaws and sacrifices, Israel welcomes immigrants every day who no longer feel safe as Jews in their host countries. America is no exception. The Jewish community is more threatened here now than ever before in my lifetime. Israelis cannot and more importantly, will not, abandon Israel to live elsewhere. They have no other land. They worry ( and rightly so) about the safety of Jews in the United States and all over the world. Israel is the only place in the world where the Jewish people can systematically protect themselves and send a message to the world that we will no longer be victims to ancient, timeless, virulent and mutating antisemitism. Calling for the end of the state of Israel, a sovereign, democratic nation is one of these virulent and mutated forms of antisemitism.
Well, I disagree and there is not a bone of bigotry in my body. The winds are changing, Rabbi. During the Vietnam and Iraq War protests, it was those who opposed both conflicts against the establishment. Now, on even some of the most elite universities in this country, students and others were/are voicing support for the Palestinians and even the terrorist groups. Further, some of the ardent Israeli supporters in Congress are wavering. And I do not believe the atrocities of October 7th will stop. In my mind, the Israeli reaction to the 1972 Munich Olympic massacre was masterful but as President Biden warned the Israeli President, do not make our mistake with the aftermath of 911 and he did. As such, my voice is not one of antisemitism but one of practicality and survival. We both know the Israeli has a powerful armed forces to protect itself thanks to the USA and if that pipeline goes dry, the state of Israel may just be overrun. I feel for the people of Israel and their well-being while it seems you are more concerned about a piece of property created by the oldest book of fiction in existence. Religious wars have killed more of the world’s inhabitants and having experienced war first hand myself, they are pointless in the long run. Bring the Israelis to the USA and get out of that moronic hell hole of the Middle East. If you deem that antisemitic, a label used far too often without merit, that is your personal problem.
And you think the United States will accept all of the Israelis? I think not. And there is physical evidence of Jews living in that land it’s not just based on a “book of fiction.
Well, Ms, Gordon, please enlighten me on why they do continue to live there amidst violence and hate if it is not deemed the Holy Land? And yes, I do believe the USA would accept. despite much of our contradictory past, any or all of those would like to come here. I have lived in Westport since 1952 and seen the Jewish population gradually assimilate into our society in a very positive nature.
They live there the same reason we live here. It is their home and they have no other. And the people? They like it there, and for good reason. Israelis are statistically some of the happiest people on earth because of these factors : a strong sense of purpose, societal connection and responsibility, freedom of speech and expression, freedom of religion and freedom to be secular, universal access to amazing education and healthcare, economic opportunity- all just some of the reasons having nothing to do with the Bible.
I was raised a military “brat” whereby religion or the color of your skin did not matter. But I will say that if I had to worry that my child was going to be kidnapped or his or her school bombed each day, I would be out of there in a New York minute. Semper Fi.
“gradually assimilate into our society”? What society might you be talking about, sir?
You don’t have to call me “sir” as I was enlisted. But I shall refer you to Woody Klein’s excellent book on the town. From my perspective, with the huge influx of folks to Westport, in the 50’s from 12K to 27K, many of them of the Jewish faith. Many found safe havens in certain neighborhoods, Gault Park off Cross Highway/Weston Road was one close by me. Longshore was a “Jewish” country club until it fell to bankruptcy in 1960 and the town bought it. Birchwood and then Rolling Hills in Wilton replaced Longshore. But certain clubs, such as Patterson Club, remained exclusive of any Jews. Many doctors, Harold Steinberg for one, became our family doctor and many of the Staples students were Jewish, one of which I dated for two years and was fascinated by an introduction to their holidays and traditions which continues to this day.
I was there as a loud and proud Jew/Zionist. It was peaceful, we didn’t wear masks, and we made our presence known silently. For those who are disgraced by our presence, I’m curious what your opinion is of the pro-Hamas protests; The harassment; the calls for death of Jews and an intifada. Are you so disgraced by that as well or just when Jews speak up for themselves??
As I stood there defending my people against a group that so blatantly holds israel to an absurd standard – an Arab man from Yemen came up to me asking what our purpose for being there was. He said he was proud of what we were doing and happy we’re speaking up bc he himself cannot. He can never go back home because he commented on an article once that it wouldn’t make sense that israel attacked a hospital and was marked a Zionist across Arab publications. He told me on October 7 the Arab news was saying Israelis were attacking Palestinians.
Let our peaceful protest educate, make aware, and wake the world up. We will no longer apologize for existing!
I was proud to be there and represent End Jew Hatred as we fight the misinformation of the UN and their deep hatred of Jewish women and the only Jewish country in the world.
good citizenship and support of the Jewish people requires All aspects of Jewish hatred to be called out. When Trump refuses to call out proud boys and oaths keepers and you citizens regain quiet that is unacceptable and inconsistent. The United Nation staff is different then the antisemitic policies of many countries.
This sums up the two faced behavior of the UN, who has treated Israel in a dispicable manner only to add further insult when Iranian leader dies to “respect” him with a moments silence.
That man funded Hamas, hated the western world in particular the USA, and amongst the blood he had on his hands for butchering so many of his people, are the hanging of rape victims.
Yes in Iran if a woman got raped during his reign of terror, she was sentenced to death. I’m not sure if that will continue now that he is dead.
To call for a moments silence was bizarre and unacceptable.
But then again the UN will not call Hamas a terrorist group.
And still behaves as though October 7th was somehow Israel’s fault !
The blood of any of the hostages who do not come home alive is on the UN’s very dirty hands.
It is my opinion that the US should throw the UN out of New York, and demand accountability from them for their treatment of Israel, including an apology.
If they are incapable of such then the US should lead by example and withdraw for the UN.
Congresswoman miller put it perfectly.
“I am dismayed by the United Nations Security Council’s actions to have a moment of silence for Iranian President Raisi. Any person given the nickname ‘Butcher of Tehran’ who is responsible for so many horrific deaths and committed such heinous deeds does not deserve any form of honor. We must hold the United Nations accountable for this shameless response and tacit support for Hamas’ horrors in Israel and Gaza,” said Congresswoman Miller.
Congresswoman Miller was joined by Reps. Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), Bill Huizenga (R-MI), Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Brian Babin (R-TX), Tim Burchett (R-TN), and Claudia Tenney (R-NY).
To equate criticism of the Netanyahu administration with antisemitism is simply an attempt to avoid taking a hard look at actions that have left more than 30,000 civilians in Gaza dead.
66% of Israelis want Netanyahu to leave politics. Are they antisemites? Is Benny Gantz an antisemite?
I don’t know anyone who wasn’t horrified by the attacks of October 7. Some of us are also horrified by the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians, including children, journalists, and aid workers.
Finally, the UN has 193 member states. To act as if it is some monolithic body is, at best, willful ignorance.
There’s that tic again – where you point solely to the Netanyahu administration and refuse to acknowledge Hamas’ responsibility for the deaths of its own people in Gaza. Not to mention citing factually incorrect stats: Not only are you taking the word of a terrorist group for the death toll – even Hamas says they do not distinguish between combatants and civilians. At most a reasonable estimate for number of civilians killed is 20-25,000.
I for one am willing to call out Netanyahu for wanting to create a war that’s longer and more destructive than it likely needed to be, and maybe under a more moderate leader like Benny Gantz we’d be looking at, say, 10-15k civilians killed instead of 20-25k. But given the horrific acts of October 7, Hamas’ documented practice of using their own people as human shields in combat and their stated desire to maximize the death toll of its own people to achieve their goal of eliminating Israel as a Jewish state, any reasonable person also has to direct part of the blame for the deaths of Palestinian civilians, aid workers and journalists in Gaza at Hamas. Are you willing/able to do this?
I was horrified by the October 7 attacks – I thought my comment made that abundantly clear.
I mostly find that the disputing of the number of casualties lacks much factual basis and is more a broader attempt to discredit Gazans. (In a “you can’t believe anything *they* say” sort of way.)
While there may be truth in the “human shield” argument it can’t be used as an excuse for the wanton disregard for civilian life. Every time there are mass civilian casualties in Gaza, we hear “human shields” (or “tunnels”) from the IDF. At this point, it is an excuse for the slaughter of innocents. (If you have a healthy skepticism to the casualty figures, maybe you should apply that skepticism to the stated reasons for those civilian casualties, too?)
Netanyahu is steering Israel’s actions in this war. Cries of antisemitism are *largely* attempts to silence the voices of critics of Netanyahu (because who wants to be labeled an antisemite?) and provide cover for his actions. Interestingly, the people who make those claims in Westport also seem to be suggesting, “if you aren’t a Zionist you aren’t a Jew,” which makes these protests seem to be less about the hostages and more about politics and opposition to a two-state solution – something that, of course, Netanyahu also opposes. (But that is a topic for another day.)
And nearly nine months in, 105 prisoners were released in an exchange deal, four were released by Hamas, and four have been rescued. (At least three hostages have been killed by IDF forces.) So if a goal of the military actions in Gaza is genuinely to return the 70 to 100 remaining hostages, it hasn’t been remotely effective.
What “disregard for civilian life”, Chris? This war has the lowest ratio of civilian to military casualties known in urban warfare. Most of those “civilians” are Hamas operatives. It’s tragic that innocent lives are lost! That responsibility lies exclusively with Hamas because the war could have been over long ago. The more casualties, the better for them and their propaganda, which you have clearly fallen victim to.
Lastly, there effectively was a 2-state solution on October 6th. You want to give a state to another radical terrorist grout that wants genocide?!
They are not prisoners! They are hostages.
There’s a monumental difference. Most are innocent farmers, and peaceful music festival go-ers. It still boils my blood this ever could have happened.
Netanyahu has been far more effective than GANTZ would have been.
This requires a zero tolerance leader. Netanyahu is just that.
Gantz would have possibly a lower Palestinian casualty but higher idf casualty result. No thank you !
I think we all agree under the circumstances, save as many idf as possible. Defend Israel. That is the goal.
Let’s remember war is not about equalizing the casualties, it is about winning ! Defeating the enemy no matter what the cost !
Israel MUST defeat this enemy. With or without UN support.
I spoke with a Moroccan friend, a Muslim on October 7th.. I asked him his thoughts.
He said for every Israeli killed 10,000 Palestinians will now die… it was not a quid pro quo.
It was a war fact.
He might not be far wrong…
Are you really proud of what you are saying?
I’ll happily concede the prisoner/hostage point, if that is important to you. But killing 37,000 civilians (and counting) isn’t “defending Israel.” It is creating permanent enemies of Israel. When the IDF bombs a school or a hospital or aid vehicles, how is that “defeating an enemy?” It is wanton disregard for human life.
Netanyahu hasn’t been effective in the slightest! He’s alienated the world and his efforts have freed four hostages. He’s wildly unpopular in Israel – and it is odd that some Americans are so infatuated with him, given his corruption and concern for keeping power. Netanyahu, Trump, and Putin are peas in a pod.
Stop blaming Netanyahu for this war. Whether you like him or not, and I don’t, no matter who is prime minister of israel, Iran, Hamas, the houthis and Hezbollah would be trying to destroy Israel. The Palestinians have not accepted Israel as a nation way before Netanyahu was PM. And Israel defending itself is not the reason Palestinians hate them. It’s bc their people and children are taught to hate in their schools and their media. UNWRA schools teach hate!! The Nazis hated Jews and were taught that. But look at Germany now, they are the biggest supporters of Israel. So there is hope if the world stands against terrorism and helps to stamp out terrorist organizations instead of blaming Israel which has to constantly fight to defend themselves.
And if Israel stopped defending itself and pulled out all of its settlements there would still be no peace bc peace is not what these terrorists govts and organizations wants. Hamas and Iran and Hezbollah would take full advantage of that and commit even more violence against Israel to try and destroy it.
To say war was not declared on Israel on October 7th, by land, sea, and air would be to feign total ignorance of the reality.
So with war come casualties, and sadly 45,000 so far.
It might be 200,000 by the end. It might be more ! And if it is, so be it.
BUT, it must be acknowledged the aggressors were Hamas, supported by many who have been killed since I guess 70% plus of “Palestinians” think Hamas are their heroes.
It is a sad state of affairs. This is why NOBODY wants the Palestinians.
Incidentally 3 of the last 4 hostages rescued were being held captive in a “journalists” house.
So let’s not throw in the journalist term like it buys immunity.
Down there it clearly does not ! They are complicit like everyone else.
That journalist was hiding those hostages for Hamas !!!
While I do not see Israel’s war as Netanyahu war, I do not think people see criticism of Netanyahu as criticism of Israel and its right to defend its country, just like we would if we were under attack. Just like we did on 9/11
It would not matter who it was had the job of defending Israel after October 7th, and part of me says Netanyahu was the best man for that job.
I am not Israeli so I have little right to comment but for me, he has done his best under an insanely high pressure scenario, and it’s hard to make everyone happy..
as for the numbers ? The deaths…
1400 Israelis mowed down, raped, burned, beheaded in cold blood… now during war, 45,000 Palestinians dead. I think the dead Palestinians in 2more months may be 100,000..
and yes I think that’s war !
It is so unfortunate.
It is war ! When Hamas declared war on Israel they set this ball in motion…
It might be 500,000 too…
It will be what it will be.
I support Israel and its right to defend itself and be strong.
Hamas need to be eradicated… and if that means a million die, so be it.
Thank the UN !
A big part of the problem here is people who confuse “Hamas” with “Gaza.”
“Hamas need to be eradicated… and if that means a million die, so be it.” Think about what you are saying there. You seem to be calling for the extermination of Palestinians. Is that really what you mean?
The entire world needs to stand against Hamas and extreme Islamic terrorists organizations. Hamas doesn’t care about how many Palestinians are killed. The more the better for their cause. If Hamas wins then Gaza and then Israel will become another extremist Islamist country. The moderate Arab countries don’t want that and either should any western country. Look up how many people died to fight the nazis. Maybe if the world stood against Hamas instead of bashing Israel the war would be over sooner and less people would die. But too many people like yourself aren’t seeing the bigger picture.
Clearly, nobody here wants Hamas to “win,” whatever that means. But just as clearly, Netanyahu doesn’t care how many Palestinians are killed, either. Nor some commenters on here.
The world was a lot more supportive of Israel before the wanton disregard for civilian lives. (Note the parallels with world opinion of the U.S. after 9/11.)
And while nobody with an ounce of humanity would defend what happened on October 7, Netanyahu’s approach to Gaza and the West Bank is incredibly misguided. If you spend five decades effectively treating the occupied territories as an apartheid state, while expanding settlements, you can’t expect simmering tensions to just vanish. This is a “the beatings will continue until morale improves” policy approach that has never worked.
Everyone except Iran and Hamas cares about Palestinian lives. The Palestinians were offered their own state and refused and has chosen violence since 1947. Hamas can surrender all the hostages and put down their weapons and make peace and no one else would be killed but they don’t want to. That’s the bottom line.
The casualty numbers quoted above are those of the Gaza Ministry of Health and those numbers have been falsified, misreported, inflated, and retracted. Furthermore, the Gaza Ministry of Health includes members of Hamas, the military, as well as people who have miraculously come back to life (talk about fake news) in its bogus calculation of casualties. Four points well worth mentioning are that 1) the difference between Hamas and “innocent” civilians is much smaller than you think. Palestinians have been indoctrinated since birth to believe that Israel must be obliterated. How can these people be innocent?; and 2) An unfortunate consequence of all wars is the death of civilians. According to the Costs of War projects, 46,310 Afghan civilians died during the war in Afghanistan. (I haven’t heard anyone accuse the U.S. of having committing genocide.) 3. Genocide is defined as the INTENTIONAL destruction of a group of people. Israel has gone above and beyond its duty to spare the lives of civilians by warning them in advance that they are coming, which is practically unheard of (what other army does that?), so the idea that Israel is committing genocide here is preposterous. 4. Israel did not start this war. Hamas went in with the intention of committing genocide. Israel must defend herself until the hostages have been released and until Hamas is obliterated.
No but war was declared on October 7. !!!!!!! And with war comes mass casualty’s. If Israel winning this war means 1 million deaths… then so be it !
Yes that is what I mean ! It will be what it will be !
You see the hostages being given back ?
No you don’t ! Cos they were raped tortured and abused and god love them who knows how their last 6 months were spent.. it’s just torture to think about it. And if it were one of mine I’d be joining the idf !
so do I think 200 hostages 200,000 war casualties as not only a lesson to the un but also as a lesson to the world for its ignorance ! Yes I do !
I think Israel needs to finish its job ! The job they got because of Hamas !
There has always been an option on the table to save them !
It was ignored…
The price will be hundreds of thousands !
It was a choice !
It was dissed !
So be it !
Hundreds of thousands will die instead ! And rightly so !
WoW! What a great day in Westport. Everyone on all sides for all reasons came to Jesup Green (thank goodness it was saved) to ‘speak’ their truth…..civilly. I was thrilled to see the engagement and the crowds.
WE protested, WE raised donations, WE went shopping, WE had fun, WE came together. WEstport is one special little town. WE have hosted jUNe day for over 1/2 a century… amazing! Did you know the roots of the League of Nations championed and incubated in WEstport by a group of families? The world changed because of the WE in Westport. WEstport hosted 100’s of U.N. staffers yesterday that will go back to the U.N. Headquarters for the world and talk about the amazing efforts of WEstport to feature the best aspects of living in WEstport. I personally know U.N. people who came from all over the world and decided to make WEstport thier home.
The U.N. was born out of the catastrophe now called WWII when the entire world was on fire….to try and prevent it happening again. The task is near impossible to to even comprehend. Imagine almost 195 countries agreeing on anything but WE must continue to try. Our little town brings the whole world to you once a year, make the most of it, and do your part. “06880” is all about “where WEstport meets the world”. I’d like to think it all started with jUNe day over half a century ago.
Start planning how you want the world to look like now for next jUNe day. See you there.
BTW- Happy Fourth! the greatest holiday on earth, and now you know why.
PS- jUNe day is funded by a trust not WEstport, but it does get some help from the town to make it work. Thank you WEstport!
Genuinely curious, Mark. What Trust funds it? Is it perpetual? How much “help” comes from the town?
The UN held a moment of peace for the butcher of Tehran, Ibrahim Raisi, during which the USA AMBASSADOR observed that same moment, for whatever rationale.. Disgraceful ! He should resign for it.
In the same way it has been disgraceful to watch the UN shit on Israel for defending their country and civilians, to have a moment of respect for one of the greatest mass murderers of this century, Ibrahim Raisi, is just a very mind numbing thing. The same mass murderer whose ppl are elated he is dead. The same man who executed women who were raped. Yes if you were a raped Iranian woman they hung you !
For this man the UN Held a moment of silence. To what end ? For his barbarism? His torture ? In the name of “the butcher of Tehran”
I suggest that moment of silence should have been held in the name of all he murdered.. his own people were ecstatic to see the back of him. That accident spelled at least freedom from that despot, and the UN, sympathizes. Talk about Stockholm syndrome.
just as one day a moment of silence will be held for all those murdered or taken hostage on Oct 7th. Though I doubt it will be observed by the UN ! And it will not be soon enough.
As for the unfortunate deaths war causes such as in Gaza, it’s a pity, nobody remembered that on October 7th
Ah but they did ! Hamas knew exactly what they were doing most especially in the face of a lily livered UN.
Sadly the blood of gazans is entirely on Hamas. As is the blood of Israel’s hostages.
I am deeply proud of our local Jewish community and fully agree that while this might have been a wonderful program in decades past, it is entirely unacceptable now with the total lack of institutional probity at the UN that expressly targets Jews. Thank you to all who organized and participated in this respectful and moral protest.
Dear Neighbors, I missed the protest while I was in Israel, but I 100% support them. It’s sad that some of the loftiest ideas (think, communism) get turned into nightmares when they meet reality. The UN is a beautiful idea, and in reality, an awful organization. It has all the pomp and bureaucracy of a real government, but none of the power or responsibility. The closer you look, the worse it gets. The current chair of the UN Women’s Right’s Council? Saudi Arabia. The chair of the Disarmament Conference? Iran. At the top of its pile of flaws is its relationship to Israel, which has been obsessively and dishonestly hostile for decades. Since the creation of the UN Human Rights Council (currently chaired by the human rights paragon of Morocco), close to 50% of its condemnations have involved Israel. UNRWA — the UN body created in the late 1940’s to “solve” the Palestinian refugee problem — has done untold harm to Israelis and Palestinians alike by perpetuating the conflict.
The UN is not the type of organization that we ought to celebrate/welcome/endorse in its current format. Just my two cents. . .
Hertzl’s Zionism page.12 read it and weep. It’s a ism like any other, abhorrent and decadent.