Dear Beacon
and Poughkeepsie City Council Members:
The definition of antisemitism authored by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) was nearly unanimously adopted by the Dutchess County Human Rights Council and the Dutchess County Legislature in 2023. It is endorsed by the Jewish Federation of Dutchess County.
This definition stipulates actions, any one of which, is deemed anti-Semitic. One of those is:
"Applying double standards by requiring of it a behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation."
Now let's consider what this city council knows:
- Regardless of any believed justification, this council must recognize that the current war began with the attack by Hamas on Oct 7th before which there was a ceasefire. Hamas has broken every ceasefire there has been.
- This council must recognize that the attack by Hamas on Oct 7th was planned for the purposes of drawing Israeli soldiers into Gaza for a deadly conflict that would take place amongst a dense civilian population.
- This council must recognize that Hamas has the ability at any time to put a halt to the war by surrendering themselves, their weapons and the hostages. Furthermore, by not doing so Hamas chooses to continue the war.
- This council must recognize that Hamas intentionally distributed hostages throughout Gaza, thus forcing the IDF to fight throughout Gaza in order to recover it's citizens. Clearly, Hamas made extraordinary plans and efforts to hid the hostages thus prolonging the conflict and adding to civilian losses.
- This council must recognize that by storing weapons intended to kill Israelis in schools, hospitals, mosques, U.N. offices and homes throughout Gaza that Hamas deliberately endangered civilian lives.
- This council must recognize that Israel has the right to use force to seize and destroy weapons from their enemy vowed to use them kill Jews again and again.
- This council should know that Hamas murders any Palestinian opposition in Gaza and that Hamas pays the families of terrorists who murder civilian men, women and children.
- This council must know that Hamas deliberately and strategically prevents civilians from escaping the violence and from receiving humanitarian aid. Furthermore, Hamas leaders divert money and resources intended for civilians to their personal benefit.
- This council should know that Hamas controls the educational system in Gaza and uses it to brainwash children to grow up dreaming to kill Jews.
- This council should know that the only hope Hamas instills in the civilian population is the death of all Jews in Israel.
- This council must understand that Israel is fighting an enemy that is a terrorist organizations which is sworn to the destruction of Israel.
- This council must recognize that a ceasefire will be used by Hamas like the dozens of other ceasefires it violated, to reload in order to pursue it's mission to kill more Jews.
- The members of this council must be able to imagine whether they would be calling for a ceasefire if it was their family and friends who were brutally raped and murdered on Oct 7th.
- This council has every reason to believe Hamas means it when they vowed to repeat Oct 7th again and again.
This council must recognize that this resolution demands a behavior of Israel that it has not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation.
Therefore, the resolutions before members of both city councils fit the very definition of antisemitism which this County's own Legislature and the Human Rights Commission adopted.
By passing this resolution this council would literally be endorsing antisemitism. Passage of this resolution will damage the reputation of this City, validate hatred of Israel and endanger the lives of Jewish residents you are sworn to serve.
This resolution as written is highly offensive to many of your city's residents who have contributed to the well being of this city for many years and in many cases a lifetime.
The resolution should NOT be passed by this city council. I urge you to put it down and consider real ways of helping civilians on both sides RATHER THAN of cursing Israel.
Respectfully,
R.
Jonah Ritter
Parent
and Grandparent to Beacon residents
City
of Poughkeepsie Homeowner
Vice
President of the Jewish Federation of D.C.
Past
President Vassar Temple
Past
President of the D.C. Realtors Association