The Chancellor’s condemnation of antisemitism and Islamophobia on Oct. 26 and a student opinion piece about Israeli “genocide” exacerbate my concern for the welfare of Washington University students. As an engaged alumnus (Parent ’13, ’16, ’19; former chair of the Alumni Board of Governors, Boston Regional Cabinet and Annual Fund; and Distinguished Olin Alumni 2013 and Distinguished Alumni 2021), I offer a voice to those who feel fearful and advocate for intellectual curiosity, all in support of our shared experience with WashU’s compassionate culture. WashU is dedicated to intellectual rigor; it’s our duty to offer informed opinions. Understand with whom you stand and use truthful language. 

My condolences to all who are heartbroken by the Oct. 7 atrocities, especially as Hamas body camera footage and hostage backstories are revealed, and by the loss of innocent lives in Gaza. Be clear, however, what you mean if you advocate for Free Palestine. 

For Hamas, “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” means there is no room for Israel or Jews. Read the Hamas charter, translated by Yale here, before you march with those who make that chant. In summary, Hamas’s goals are the destruction of the Jewish state, establishment of an Islamic state governed by Sharia law, killing of all Jews, and rejection of negotiation for a two-state solution. 

These words and the slaughter on Oct. 7 are irrefutable evidence of Hamas’s Jewish genocidal goal. Think I’m being dramatic? Then you haven’t done the research. 

WUSTL Students for Palestine’s call for Israel to stop a genocide is ironic, as Israel doesn’t have that reciprocal objective for Palestinians. In contrast, Israel warns civilians to leave the battlefield. Sadly, Hamas restricts Palestinians’ movement and places military assets and activity near schools, hospitals, and mosques because civilian casualties serve its narrative, not Israel’s. 

Listen to a Hamas founder’s son describe Hamas’s tactics and Israel’s predicament — In Israel, there are no community rallies that celebrate the loss of Palestinian civilian life. Or Gina Ligon, Director of the National Counterterrorism, Innovation, Technology & Education Center: “I don’t think Hamas wanted us to see” the videos of attacks on civilians, she said. “That is not congruent with their narrative that they’re defenders of Palestine — that was terrorism.” If you fail to digest and condemn the scale and depravity of the massacre, you might be as comfortable joining a Nazi march as you are a Free Palestine rally that calls for the elimination of Israel. The false claim about Israeli genocide is at best naïve, but more probable is antisemitic, as it’s not supported by looking at easily accessible statements from the US and Israeli governments or trusted news sources.

To call Israel genocidal reinforces a false narrative that gives Hamas and its sponsor, Iran, justification to call for its jihadist Jewish genocide. Those who repeat this propaganda excuse the jihad and are complicit in fomenting the kind of hate that resulted in the Tree of Life tragedy in 2018 (two of the victims were loving brothers of a WashU alumna).

Does Israel have a right to co-exist? If you answer “no,” that it represents “colonization” despite the context of Israel’s creation and the lack of exploitation of resources outside its borders, you stand with Hamas’s jihad to eradicate Israel for an Islamic state.

Ask yourself why Israel has peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan, why Egypt cooperates with Israel on Gaza border security, and why Bahrain and the UAE signed the Abraham Accords. What do they understand that you ignore? 

While imperfect, Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East where all citizens, regardless of ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, etc., enjoy the freedom to participate in the political process (including its Arab minority), unlike Sharia law, which crushes women’s and LGBTQ rights. 

If you pray for Israel’s survival and crave a better life for Palestinians, what has Palestinian leadership done to promote that ideal beyond calling for the eradication of the Jewish state? If you care about Palestinians, ask where their leadership’s responsibilities begin; redirecting aid to civil society instead of missiles and tunnels and recognizing Israel’s right to exist could create a very different Middle East. 

Blaming the rise of Hamas on Israeli policies ignores Hamas’s impact on exasperated Israelis who lack a Palestinian peace partner. It takes two to sign a peace agreement, and so far, only one has shown a commitment to use the pen. 

Before making claims about genocide, review history. When Israel evacuated Gaza in 2005, hoping trading land and self-rule would bring peace, Hamas fired rockets on civilians — in accordance with its genocidal charter. When Israel offered land for peace in the 1993 Oslo Accords signed by Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), Hamas later initiated terror attacks, and in peace talks in 2000, the Palestinians balked at the altar. President Clinton considered the offer “so good I couldn’t believe anyone would be foolish enough to let it go.” But former Chairman of the PLO Arafat did, directing the intifadas instead. 2,000 years ago, the Romans exiled Jews from Israel. Jews suffered genocidal pogroms in Russia and Eastern Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Nazi Germany annihilated six million Jews. In 1967 and 1973, Israel’s neighbors tried to extinguish the state but failed. Hamas will fail.

Know where you stand because your words and deeds tell us.

Editor’s Note: This article was updated on 11/09 to fix a minor grammatical error.