As Trial Begins In Vermont, Palestinian Shooting Victims Remain Brave
On September 14, 2026, the attempted murder trial of Jason Eaton opened in Burlington, Vermont. Eaton is accused of shooting three young Palestinian men in that city on November 25, 2023 and has pled not guilty by reason of insanity. The mental fitness of the three victims, however, is unquestionable after hearing their testimony on Monday. And so is their moral fortitude.
Hisham Awartani, Kinnan Abdalhamid, and Tahseen Aliahmad grew up together in Ramallah, Palestine, where they were classmates in a Quaker School. In 2023 they were all students at various colleges in the northeastern United States, with either U.S. citizenship or permanent residency.