As Jeffrey Herf observes, the DC shooter was a graduate of the University of Illinois Chicago, and likely absorbed some of his ideas about Israel at this hotbed of anti-Zionist fervor. Yet this particular academic vice is a product of a much greater rot that has gripped the universities, and has made them increasingly uncomfortable places for Jews. Is there any hope for something better to emerge from American higher learning? Eric Cohen—the CEO of Tikvah and Mosaic’s publisher—and William Inboden, a historian and the outgoing director of the University of Florida’s Hamilton School, believe the answer is “yes.” They discuss those possibilities with Dan Senor. (Video, 47 minutes. Audio available at the link below and on podcast platforms.)

Considering the current state of Israel-Arab relations, Ghaith al-Omari writes

First and foremost, no ceasefire will be possible without the release of Israeli hostages and commitments to disarm Hamas and remove it from power. The final say on these matters rests with Hamas commanders on the ground in Gaza, who have been largely impervious to foreign pressure so far. At minimum, however, the United States should insist that Qatari and Egyptian mediators push Hamas’s external leadership to accept these conditions publicly, which could increase pressure on the group’s Gaza leadership.

Washington should also demand a clear, public position from key Arab states regarding disarmament. The Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas endorsed this position in a June letter to Saudi Arabia and France, giving Arab states Palestinian cover for endorsing it themselves.

Some Arab states have already indicated a willingness to play a significant role, but they will have little incentive to commit resources and personnel to Gaza unless Israel (1) provides guarantees that it will not occupy the Strip indefinitely, and (2) removes its veto on a PA role in Gaza’s future, even if only symbolic at first. Arab officials are also seeking assurances that any role they play in Gaza will be in the context of a wider effort to reach a two-state solution.

On the other hand, Washington must remain mindful that current conditions between Israel and the Palestinians are not remotely conducive to . . . implementing a two-state solution.