Southern Indiana residents call for Israeli-Palestinian ceasefire at Sen. Young's office

Jan. 4—NEW ALBANY — Through music, signs and discussion, a group of Southern Indiana residents spoke their minds on a war that is occurring right now in the Levant, a historic term for an area of the Eastern Mediterranean.

Around a dozen people, primarily from Paoli and consisting mostly of Mennonites, traveled to New Albany to U.S. Sen. Todd Young's office Thursday to advocate for a ceasefire in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

A representative from Young's office listened to a handful of individuals make statements on the ceasefire, including Mennonites Carol Beauregard and Doris Weaver, who want Young to support a ceasefire.

They said they chose Young's office to speak their minds since it was the closest statewide office to Paoli. The group was in communication with the office before the visit, so Young's office was expecting them.

"We're wanting to tell the government that we want the war to end," Beauregard said. "We feel like our government has a big role to play in this war to stop. We don't want our tax dollars to be going to killing innocent civilians."

Weaver said she did volunteer work in the early 1970s in the city of Hebron for more than a year, which is in the West Bank. She said this visit "ignited" an interest in Israeli-Palestinian relations.

"Over the years, I've watched the noose tightening around the necks of the Palestinians in the occupied territories," Weaver said. "Israel has created an apartheid existence for the Palestinians."

On Oct. 17, Young, along with most other members of the U.S. Senate, signed a resolution supporting Israel against terroism. On Nov. 10, a resolution co-written by Young demanding the release of hostages held by Hamas was passed by the Senate.

Young gave remarks on the Senate floor on Oct. 18 about why the United States must support Israel and denounce antisemitism.

"Today, Israel is a vibrant democracy in the Middle East and a strong ally of the United States of America," he said.

He said the country must support Israel and "its right to confront this violence, this barbarism," referring to the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7.

"For the past 15 years, many peace-keeping Palestinians in Gaza have had their lives upended and exploited by the Hamas terrorist group," he said.

After the meeting, Beauregard said Young's staffers listened and took notes.

"I dream of a place where Palestinians and Israelis can live in safety with hope and dignity," states parts of the speech Weaver made during the meeting.