No doubt many Finger Lakes Times readers have experienced an array of feelings and reactions to the horrible events of Oct. 7 — the Hamas massacre of innocent Israelis playing near the northern border of Gaza. In summary it has made me and most in my circle of contacts very sad and pained that the world in general is sinking even further into more hardship and woe. After the invasion of Ukraine, did we think that it could get any worse?

This column, however, tracks my search for hope.

The multi-year “calm” in Israel and the West Bank kind of lulled me into thinking that all I had to do was wait a little longer (less than 12 months) and Benjamin Netanyahu and his right-wing government would be replaced by a more centric coalition that would return to pursuing the two-state solution for the region. And, in addition, Netanyahu’s indictments for fraud, bribery, and breach of the public trust would be tried in a criminal court.

For the record, my view/hope was and still is based on the following:

• Belief in a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine. This involves engagement by the Israeli government and responsible proxies for the PLO until the two sides can find the right accommodation. This also involves the Israeli government controlling/stopping the excesses (land........

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