Tim Steller’s recent column on the University of Arizona encampments crossed a significant line by casually advancing genocide accusations against Israel. He implies history is steadily validating one side’s moral claims on one of the world’s most disputed and emotionally charged conflicts.
Genocide is a grave accusation requiring proof of intent. Yet the column selectively cites scholars while glossing over major legal and historical disputes, leaving readers with the impression the question is largely settled. Readers deserve more precision, restraint, and humility than that.
As a Jewish Tucsonan, I found the column disconnected from Jewish experiences on and off campus after October 7. It fails to acknowledge Jewish fear, as protesters used phrases like “intifada†and “resistance,†which many Jews interpreted as calls for violence. This is concerning given how activists quickly rationalized the Hamas massacre, focusing on Palestinian suffering and ignoring Hamas’ role and Palestinian political autonomy.
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Free speech matters, but so does careful and honest journalism.
Steve Basile
Midtown
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