The Valley Post will cease publication in the spring of 2027 because founder and editor Eesha Williams will move to Europe. Williams and his wife, organic vegetable farmer Elizabeth Wood, plan to settle in Absam, Austria, or another nearby vegetable-growing village. More information is at:
https://mountaintimes.info/2022/03/23/vermont-veggie-farmers-embark-on-s...
The Valley Post thanks the many people who have donated and volunteered over the 17 years since the news outlet was founded in 2009.
The Northampton public library will archive ValleyPost.org. The Valley Post thanks library director Lisa Downing and Dylan Gaffney of the library's local history and special collections department.
In December 2023, about 600 people marched 25 miles from Springfield, Massachusetts to Northampton to protest Israel's genocide in Gaza.
In Brattleboro on March 2, 2024, about 150 people marched to protest the genocide. The march was organized by the group Southern Vermont for Palestine.
In Amherst in May 2024, police arrested more than 100 people for protesting the genocide.
In Washington, D.C., on November 5, 2023 about 300,000 people marched to protest the genocide.
In London on November 27, 2023, more than 1 million people marched to protest the genocide.
The resistance of people in and from Gaza was aided by these protests and succeeded in dramatically reducing the number of people Israel is killing in Gaza.
To find out how to help stop the genocide, contact a group like Jewish Voice for Peace.
Charlotte Deiss is advocacy and research officer at Amnesty International Austria. In an August 24, 2026 video call with the Valley Post, Deiss said, “In June 2025, the Palestinian community organized a rally through the (Vienna) city center, and I believe it was the biggest, or one of the biggest, assemblies (in Austria) against the genocide with up to 5,000 people.”
Deiss said, “Austrian authorities’ responses to people expressing solidarity with Palestinians during Israel’s ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza have resulted in a chilling effect on the right to freedom of expression. Their actions have also resulted in violations of the rights of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Our report 'Freedom of expression is highly selective' identifies multiple factors – including undue restrictions on expression, and fear caused by broad allegations of antisemitism against the backdrop of racism, including Islamophobia – that have combined to negatively impact the freedom of expression in Austria for Palestinian solidarity among activists, NGOs, academic institutions and beyond.”
Since Amnesty International Austria published the report in March, “nothing has changed,” Deiss told the Valley Post. “There are still people being prosecuted and arrested because of using the chant, 'From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.'”
Deiss encouraged people to read the report for more information:
https://cdn.amnesty.at/media/hytprvly/amnesty-bericht_austria_freedom-of...
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Some of the 16,000 people who marched and rallied in Brattleboro,
Keene, Greenfield and Northampton on March 28 will attend a No Kings march on Saturday, September 12 at 10 a.m., rain or shine. Details are at:
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