WLPF Burlington Branch Meeting Oct. 10, 2023 on ZOOM

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Robin called the meeting to order at ~5:35 PM

1. Members Present: Jane, Jean, Jill, Marguerite, Gloria, Max, Pamela, Robin, Anita, Max, Lolo,
Charlotte, Nancy

2. Guest: Wafic: Member of Justice For Palestine

3. War in Palestine Declared on Oct. 8 by Israel After Attacks By Hamas: Wafic said it makes him
sad to be asked to come to a WILPF meeting only now, when there is a war, though the
Palestinians have been suffering for a long time. He called the plight of the Palestinians
genocide. He said many “Jewish siblings” are fooled who think they are protected and that the
Palestinians didn’t matter. Israel does not have an internationally-recognized border with
Palestine since the Arab-Israeli War in 1967. ?500 Palestinian villages were destroyed in 1948
when Israel became a state.? The Palestinians have been living in occupation ever since. ?1/3 of
Palestinians killed in past several days? Whole Israeli society is militarized. Even women are
required to serve in the military. In U.S. policy is heavily slanted towards Israel. ?He said
American universities (some all? are forced to say that criticism of Israel is antisemitic. ? He
asked America to call what Israel does apartheid. Pamela was concerned that no room was
being left for negotiation. Four Palestinian journalists killed in past few days. Charlotte thought
gas might be an issue. Both previous times the Palestinians had attacked Israel was building
pipelines in the area. Robin said need to find ways to get mainstream media to report on the
Palestinian side too.

4. War in Ukraine: The Peace demonstration and Demands at Bernie Sanders Office and Sit-in on
Oct. 4: Robin reported that Vermont Digger covered them and WCAX. It was disappointing that
it didn’t garner the support of students. Jill estimated that between 40 and 50 people were in
the streets.

5. Revisiting Proposal from the last meeting to sign onto letter from the American Civil Liberties
Against Building a New Replacement Women’s Prison: Robin asked for a volunteer to go with
her to the upcoming ACLU Annual Meeting to bring it up. The people by this time that were still
left at the meeting were not either not able or interested enough.

6. Update on Haiti Project: We had agreed to spend 150 dollars of WILPF money to buy one
outhouse and members were asked if they could donate 10 dollars to another outhouse. As of
Oct. 10 not enough WILPF members had responded. A couple of people offered to contribute
some or more and Robin said that should bring us over the top of what was needed.

7. Next U.N. Commission on the Status of Women meeting next March: Robin reported that WILPF
funds are set aside each year to pay for some young women to attend. It is the only outreach
each year. Jane volunteered to ask UVM faculty and Robin said she would send Jane some
information.

The meeting ended at 7:10.
Respectfully submitted,
Jane