Response to October 7 and its Aftermath

Theodore Sheskin, Cleveland State University

I was shocked by the devastating events of October 7. I am saddened that this shock has been followed by accusations of genocide committed by Israel, calls for economic and academic boycotts of Israel, calls for an arms embargo on Israel, and protests over the war in Gaza.

I have not been impacted by antisemitism or anti-Israel hostility.

I am responding to these events by suggesting various courses of action to the people and government of Israel in the form of blogs posted online in the Times of Israel, and in letters to editors printed in American newspapers. My letters in newspapers are intended to show Americans that Hamas, not Israel, is responsible for the high civilian casualties in Gaza. Hamas is responsible because Hamas uses civilian infrastructure for military purposes, frequently dresses in civilian clothes, and denies civilians entry to its network of nearly invulnerable tunnels.

I am optimistic that conditions in America, Israel, and the world will improve if the Democrats win the American elections in November 2024.

An ideal end of the war in Gaza would involve the release of all the hostages, the disarmament of Hamas and the destruction of its military infrastructure, and the safe passage of Hamas from Gaza to Qatar.

I published the following responses to October 7.

9 Blogs posted on the Times of Israel website

  1. Exchange Detained Health Care Workers for Hostages, Aug. 9, 2024

  2. To Defeat Hamas Slowly, Divest From A Major Donor, May 25, 2024

  3. Response to Call for a Permanent Ceasefire in Gaza, Apr 23, 2024

  4. One and One-Half State Solution, Mar 28, 2024

  5. Attempting to Recover the Hostages, Jan. 25, 2024

  6. Take Temporary Hostages to Be Exchanged, Nov 3, 2023

  7. Small Steps to Aid Civilians while Fighting Hamas, Oct 23, 2023

  8. Propose Israeli and Saudi Mutual Defense Treaty, Oct 13, 2023

  9. False Accusations of Genocide against Israel, Oct. 12, 2024

7 Letters to editors printed in American newspapers

  1. Fair in war, New York Daily News, Sept. 27, 2024

  2. Defending detonating pagers, Queens Chronicle, Sept. 26, 2024

  3. Medics for hostages, Queens Chronicle, Aug. 15, 2024

  4. Hamas has to go, Queens Chronicle, May 30, 2024

  5. Does Israel Need “Tough Love” From the U.S.?, New York Times, Dec. 29, 2023

  6. Ceasefire conditions, Queens Chronicle, Dec. 21, 2023

  7. Israel’s war with Hamas, Queens Chronicle, Oct. 23, 2023