To the editor: I am glad Raz Segal crammed me in on the definition of genocide. I’ve at all times believed that that is what the murderous, savage terrorist group Hamas needs to do – to exterminate not solely Israel, however all Jews on the earth. Now I’m informed that the genocide is being carried out by Israel, the facet that has lastly determined to take motion to eradicate Hamas, not the Palestinian individuals.
There’s an excessive amount of deceptive data in Segal’s piece to completely debunk right here, comparable to Israeli Protection Minister Yoav Gallant calling Palestinians “human animals” when he was clearly referring to Hamas. In reality, Segal replaces Palestinians with Hamas all through his article, thereby humanizing the terrorist group and excusing their barbaric assaults on Israeli civilians on October 7. He claims that no place in Gaza is protected from the Israeli navy, when actually there aren’t any Gaza assaults. are protected from the depravity of Hamas, which makes use of them as human shields.
Whereas Segal locations the whole blame for the distress in Gaza on Israel’s shoulders, there isn’t any point out of anticipating Egypt, Jordan or different Arab international locations surrounding Israel to open their doorways and supply momentary shelter to the besieged Gazans.
Pauline Regev, Santa Monica
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To the editor: Segal, a professor of Holocaust and genocide research, notes that the variety of Gazans who’ve died in Israel’s current navy actions is bigger than the variety of Israelis murdered within the Hamas massacres to which Israel is responding. The implication is that Israel is the unhealthy man because it has killed extra individuals than Hamas.
However physique counts don’t outline who’s the aggressor and who’s the sufferer. In the event that they did, it will imply that the Germans have been the victims of World Warfare II, the North Koreans have been the victims of the Korean Warfare, and the Iraqis have been the victims of their battle with Kuwait.
Rafael Medoff, Washington
The writer is director of the David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Research.
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To the editor: Because of The Instances for printing Segal’s profound and revealing piece on the present state of affairs in Israel and Gaza. The American individuals and our flesh pressers must study from such a reputable supply the reality concerning the atrocities being dedicated in Gaza and the attitudes in Israel that help them.
We have now good protection of the very actual atrocities dedicated by Hamas, however my tax {dollars} don’t help Hamas. That US help goes to an Israeli navy that, in response to Segal, produced shirts earlier than October 7 depicting Palestinian ladies and youngsters as navy targets needs to be identified to each taxpayer and lawmaker.
That distinguished Jewish students of the Holocaust name Israel’s actions genocide needs to be widespread information.
John La Grange, Solana Seaside, California.
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To the editor: Segal says Israel was based in 1948 on the precept of Jewish “supremacy.”
After practically 2,000 years of subservience and bigotry, Jews restored their homeland as a nation the place all residents, no matter faith, ethnicity or gender, as acknowledged in Israel’s Declaration of Independence, are free. Israeli Arabs are represented in authorities, academia, medication and all types of skilled and enterprise life.
Regardless of social and political tensions, Israeli Jews don’t maintain the hierarchical place of a “highest” class.
Peter Brier, Altadena
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To the editor: Repulsive American Nazi David Duke has accused the Jewish individuals of introducing “Jewish supremacy” in an try to oppress, enslave and exploit the non-Jewish inhabitants. Segal makes use of an nearly equivalent time period, “Jewish supremacy,” in his condemnation of Israel’s battle of self-defense in Gaza.
Israel shouldn’t be adopting supremacy or genocide in Gaza, as Segal falsely claims, however is as a substitute focusing on Hamas, a terrorist group as terrifying because the Islamic State.
Furthermore, the primary accountability of any nation is to guard its residents from exterior assaults. Israel is focusing on Hamas terrorists who began the bloodbath on October 7, not the civilians in Gaza. Civilian casualties in Gaza are the results of Hamas’ apply of hiding behind Gaza civilians whereas attacking Israeli civilians, a double battle crime.
Segal’s unjust accusations are a type of Holocaust inversion. That tactic has been rightly recognized as anti-Semitic by the Anti-Defamation League. To paraphrase former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir, a lot of the world (together with individuals like Segal) doesn’t prefer it when Jews defend themselves.
Daniel H. Trigoboff, Williamsville, NY
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To the editor: Segal’s enlightened article warrants a response defending Israel’s mission to remove Hamas as soon as and for all.
Calling Israel’s response to the brutal occasions of October 7 a genocide is a controversial overreach, and the writer’s credentials don’t imply that his place deserves uncritical acceptance. Please discover an equally acknowledged scholar to defend Israel’s mission.
Gloria Cowan, Culver Metropolis
