Becca Balint: first Jewish congress member to call for a ceasefire

Democratic Rep. Becca Balint of Vermont became the first Jewish congress member to call for a ceasefire on Thursday.

“What is needed right now is an immediate break in violence to allow for a true negotiated cease-fire,” Balint wrote in an op-ed for VTDigger, a local news site in her home state.

The call for a ceasefire is a shift from her previous position, when she said that she supported Israel’s “right to defend itself after the unprecedented surprise attack against them”.

However, she also urged the country to avoid “collective punishment” against Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

In the op-ed, Balint said that she had changed her mind in part due to the suffering of Palestinians.

Balint also came out in support of Rashida Tlaib, the only Palestinian American member in the house, after she was censured for expressing solidarity with Palestine.

“The Islamophobia right now is completely and totally out of control. And I was disgusted by the fact that colleagues are trying to go after the one Palestinian American member of Congress.” Balint explained.