THE VIRGINIAN-ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCES
2/5/2024
On November 23, 2023, surplus tactical gear donated by Virginia’s police forces hit the ground in Israel. 12,000 pounds of it. This effort was championed by Attorney General Jason Miyares, in order to further arm the IDF and, it seems, civilians as well. In the poignant words of the Richmond Times-Dispatch: “From the Commonwealth to the front lines, the instruments of war have arrived.”
Virginia’s support for Israel doesn’t stop there. Earlier in December, AG Miyares joined a coalition of thirteen state attorneys-general calling for the New York Times, Associated Press, CNN, and Reuters to cut association with Gaza-based journalists, due to alleged ties to Hamas. Miyares is also going after a long-recognized and respected nonprofit, American Muslims for Palestine, accusing them of supporting terrorism. And of course, following the frantic rhetoric of Zionists, Governor Youngkin penned an executive directive condemning Richmond and VCU’s street protestors chants of “river to the sea” as ‘antisemitic’. And in an almost comical move, he also called a class of middle schoolers antisemitic for doing a project on Palestinian culture.
And of course despite countless calls for it, almost none of Virginia’s state or federal representatives have called for a ceasefire. (Representative Donald Beyer, D-VA 8 and Representative Jennifer Wexton, D-VA 10 both have, as well as Delegate Sam Rasoul, D-Roanoke. That’s about it at time of writing.)
But the question is: why does Virginia care so much about supporting Israel?
To understand this, one must understand the longstanding economic ties between Israel and the Commonwealth of Virginia. It’s no secret that Virginia’s economy is heavily based on defense. All you need to do is take a stroll around Norfolk, with its huge navy base and similarly huge military population. All ten of the top American defense companies operate in Hampton Roads. Not only that: we rank third in number of military bases by state, at twenty-seven bases — one of which, the Norfolk Naval Base, is the largest base in the country.
But it’s not just America’s defense we’re worried about here in the Commonwealth. It’s Israel’s, too. There’s the tactical gear and the money — and there’s the American warships. Within hours of the attack on October 7th, Norfolk was sending out warships and aircraft for Israel. Israel, simply put, is one of our best clients. And if we want them to keep buying, we have to keep waving away their war crimes.
Israel has firmly dug its roots into Virginian soil. The Virginia-Israel Advisory Board is a state agency which helps Israeli companies (mostly defense and cyber) establish themselves in Virginia through free consultations for grants, site selection, and general partnerships. According to the VIAB itself, forty Israeli defense companies operate out of Virginia. In 2016 alone, Governor Ralph Northam invited the Israeli Ministry of Defense to bring sixteen of its companies to Virginia. (The state of Virginia has its VIAB, but Norfolk has its own, local ‘Tochnit Norfolk’, a program established in 2005 by Norfolk’s mayor focused on luring Israeli companies specifically to the city.)
For years now, Virginia and Israel have been best buddies. We Virginians build a vast amount of the American weaponry and supplies sent to Israel. Or if not that, then we work at the Israeli defense, tech, and cyber companies which crowd northern Virginia. Israel makes up its own entire piece of the Virginian economic pie. So of course, why wouldn’t Virginia stand firm on Israel’s side? With the fervor with which we pump out tactical gear and warships for Israel, we practically are the IDF itself.
By no means is Israel the only foreign state we’re sending this much aid, weaponry, and equipment to. But know that we can not separate the United States military from the Israeli Defense Forces, nor can we separate Virginia’s economy from Israel’s. To those who think the genocide in Gaza is ‘not our problem’, know this — the economy of this Commonwealth is predicated on contributing to the war crimes of countries halfway across the world.
So is that what your good job is worth? The loss of life of tens of thousands in the Middle East? Is it worth ignoring the trucks hauling tons of tactical gear across our highways, so the gear can be used to brutalize civilians the same way it’s used here in the states? Is it worth turning a blind eye to the warships leaving our ports manned with American men?
I guess that’s up to you. But personally, I say it isn’t worth it all. Our taxes should not be sent to projects who’s entire purpose is benefiting Israeli corporations and displacing Virginian-owned businesses; they should not go towards perpetuating the endless death in Gaza.
And others in Virginia agree. That’s why Richmond’s main streets fill every Sunday with folks calling for a ceasefire. That’s why folks in Hampton Roads have shut down the General Dynamics building, impeding on weapons manufacturing. That’s why small rallies have sprung up everywhere in Virginia, even while hardly any of our elected officials listen. It’s because we know our Commonwealth is complicit — and we refuse to stay that way.
For some more information on how to get involved with local efforts, try some of the following Instagram pages (this is by no means a comprehensive list): @amp_rva @ampalestine @hamptonroads4palestine @sjpvcu @sjpmason @pymdmv @gmu_psa @vafreepalestine @pso.vcu @sjpatodu @swva.coalitionforpalestine