Professional Commentary

Recently, the International Criminal Court (ICC) rejected Israel’s challenge to jurisdiction and issued arrest warrants for the country’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The charges against Netanyahu and Gallant are for crimes against humanity and war crimes alleged to have been committed between October 8, 2023, and May 20, 2024. [...]

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For too long, this country’s criminal legal system has perpetuated violence, brutality, and murder, with Black people bearing the brunt. While methods may change, the underlying outcomes remain the same. The modern-day manifestation of our nation’s history of anti-Black violence is perhaps most apparent in capital punishment. Marcellus Khaliifah Williams – father, poet, and imam [...]

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The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has illuminated the critical need for accountability on the international stage, particularly regarding violations of sovereignty and acts of aggressive warfare. President Vladimir Putin’s actions in Ukraine not only pose a significant threat to global peace but also challenge the foundational principles of international law. Prosecuting Putin for the international [...]

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As we mark the one-year anniversary of the horrific October 7 attacks on Israeli civilians, it’s essential to reflect not only on the immediate tragedies of that day, but also on the ensuing conflict that has led to a cycle of escalating violence and suffering. While Israel’s initial retaliation against Hamas may have been lawful [...]

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In the Israel-Hamas war, accusations of an Israeli “genocide” against the people of Gaza have created fierce debate and, consequently, warrant a reappraisal of the meaning of the term. Far from the historical and legal definition of the word, accusations of genocide against Israel have transformed the very essence of the word. This is lexical [...]

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In the aftermath of the recent rescue of four Israeli hostages held in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, an analysis of such extraction operations is warranted. To put this event in context, three things must be understood. First, hostage taking is a war crime. Second, hostage rescue is extremely logistically difficult. Third, the American public [...]

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Constructive dialogue over complex issues seems increasingly difficult to find in these extremely polarizing times. For the Jewish community of which I am a part, the highly valued idea of any such “makhloket l’sheim shamayim” — the Talmudic notion of an argument for the sake of heaven — seems all the more elusive when attempting [...]

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In the wake of the deadly Hamas terrorist attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, many of Israel’s supporters, myself included, have succumbed to the understandable impulse for violent retribution. Israel is a land that I love, both culturally as a Jew — and third-generation Holocaust survivor — and spiritually as an ordained cantor. It follows that [...]

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At its core, the death penalty feeds one of the basest desires known to humankind: the craving for revenge. The 3,200+ members of “L’chaim! Jews Against the Death Penalty” — a group I co-founded — along with millions of other death penalty abolitionists across the world have demonstrated time and again in recent years how [...]

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