Published November 9th, 2023
As a Jewish person and the State Chair of the Indiana Green Party, I firmly condemn the acts of genocide and apartheid perpetrated by the Israeli government against the Palestinian people. These actions are not only morally reprehensible but also constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity under Article 7 of the Rome Statute.
As a former member of disaster/military services and a frontline disaster supervisor, I am certified in the study of International Humanity Law in order to be able to inspect and report on a prisoner of war camp. “War crimes are defined in the statute that established the International Criminal Court, which includes:
Grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions, such as:
1. Willful killing, or causing great suffering or serious injury to body or health
2. Torture or inhumane treatment
3. Unlawful wanton destruction or appropriation of property
4. Forcing a prisoner of war to serve in the forces of a hostile power
5. Depriving a prisoner of war of a fair trial
6. Unlawful deportation, confinement, or transfer
7. Taking hostages
8. Directing attacks against civilians
9. Directing attacks against humanitarian workers or UN peacekeepers
10. Killing a surrendered combatant
11. Misusing a flag of truce, a flag or uniform of the enemy
12. Settlement of occupied territory
13. Deportation of inhabitants of occupied territory
14. Using poison weapons
15. Using civilians as shields
16. Using child soldiers
17. Firing upon a Combat Medic with clear insignia.
The following acts as part of a non-international conflict:
18. Murder, cruel or degrading treatment, and torture
19. Directing attacks against civilians, humanitarian workers, or UN peacekeepers
The following acts as part of an international conflict:
20. Taking hostages
21. Summary execution
22. Pillage
23.Rape, sexual slavery, forced prostitution or forced pregnancy
The concept of war crimes has been difficult to define with precision, and its usage has evolved constantly, particularly since the end of World War I.”
“The echoes of the past reverberate in my soul.” As a Jew, the Holocaust is not just a chapter in a history book, but a deeply personal tragedy. My family members were among the millions who perished, their lives extinguished by the unfathomable cruelty of genocide. Their memory fuels my conviction that “Never Again” is not just a promise to the Jewish people, but a pledge to all humanity.
“The pain of one does not negate the rights of another.” The attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7th, 2023, was a tragic event, born out of decades of conflict and oppression. Israel has a right to defend itself and bring the guilty to justice; it does not have the right to collective punishment and murder. Israel with the help of the United States of America does not have the right or moral grounds to commit genocide and perpetuate apartheid.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” The violence and oppression inflicted upon the Palestinian people by the government of Israel are inhumane and unacceptable. The collective punishment of the people of Gaza, an open-air prison, is a war crime. The wholesale murder of a people is genocide. Not all Palestinians are members of Hamas. The violent and deadly attacks on the innocent people of Gaza are the same as holding you personally responsible for the secretly planned war crimes of a President. Most people, regardless of their nationality or religion, simply just want to live their lives in peace.
As Jews, we have a duty to ensure that another genocide never happens again. We must stand against genocide, apartheid, and nations’ crimes against a people. Never Again is for everyone. As Americans, we must refuse to allow our tax dollars and our nation’s participation in war crimes to continue. The members of the Green Party should stand as beacons of peace, reason, and diplomacy, loudly defending the oppressed.
I strongly advocate for peace and resolution in the Israeli conflict. The cycles of violence will only end with a political resolution that addresses key issues, including the status of Jerusalem, the violent attacks on the Palestinian people by the right-wing Israeli settlers, and the conditions of apartheid enforced by the Israeli government. The international community must act now to prevent Gaza from becoming any more of a mass graveyard.
I call for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and urgent humanitarian aid for the Palestinian people. The unfolding catastrophe in Gaza makes the need for a humanitarian ceasefire more urgent with every passing hour. Restrictions must be ended on the movement of goods and people to and from Gaza,
I stand in solidarity with Rashida Tlaib, defending her freedom of speech from censure. The First Amendment guarantees freedoms concerning religion, expression, assembly, and the right to petition. The attempt to censure her violates not only her rights but the rights of all Americans. Her plea for the lives of the Palestinian people is a call to our shared humanity.
I condemn the repeated un-American attempts by the United States Government and its agents to silence dissent, protest, or speech by censorship or law. Dissent, freedom of speech, and freedom of protest is an American First Amendment right. To make it criminal to express non-violent peaceful ideology and beliefs is an appalling act of suppression and authoritarianism,
It is not anti-Semitic to criticize the Israeli government, it is not anti-Semitic to be anti-Zionist. Zionism is based on antisemitism.
In the face of injustice, we must not remain silent. We must raise our voices in protest, striving for change and peace. Let us strive for a world where all people can live in peace and dignity. This is my plea, my promise. This is a call to action. This is the time for change. This is the moment for peace. This is the duty of all humanity. This is the path to a future of harmony. This is the hope for a tomorrow of unity. This is the dream of a world of equality. This is a call for the creation of a reality of respect, equality, humanity, and peace.
Pluto Brand
State Chair
