Letter to NY Times from Larry Shapiro, Calgary Re: article by Omer Bartov, self declared Genocide Scholar, July 15, 2025

Dear Editor,

Without any proof whatsoever, Professor Bartov suggests that Benjamin Netanyahu's threat that "the enemy would pay a huge price', became the template for the conduct of the IDF in its war against Hamas. Serious military observers like Major (ret) John Spencer, Chair of urban Warfare Studies at West Point would disagree, stating that Israel has done more to protect civilian life than any army in history. Observers have stated that the ratio between combatant deaths and civilian deaths in Gaza is the lowest in recorded history. Anyone who studies warfare understands that the war is taking a long time because of Israel's efforts to confront Hamas not civilians, while Hamas is doing everything it can to make sure civilians are exposed.

But let's say that Dr. Bartov is correct, and Netanyahu's remarks did inspire IDF soldiers to commit crimes against humanity, what should he have said that would moderate his soldiers behavior. OK fellows lets fight back but not too vigorously. They killed 1200 of us so we should stop at 1200 of them and then try to negotiate a cease fire, and hope that Hamas will not break the cease fire as it has done five times in the past, and remember no rapes or beheadings. And air force, please drop no more bombs than the 30,000 rockets launched at us by Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah, and make sure that you do not kill any civilians even if Hamas locates its military assets in civilian budlings.

A question of interest is, if Netanyahu really spouted this nonsense, would Dr, Barkov have found another reason to accuse the Jewish state of committing crimes against humanity. The betting window is open.

Larry Shapiro, Calgary