A law professor writing on the Volokh Conspiracy blog has marked the third anniversary of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack by publishing a compendium of his writings on the resulting wars. The post collects pieces on the conflict with Hamas and Hezbollah, the separate but connected Iran War, and Western reactions, including protest movements.
The author describes his position as unusual: he is no fan of the current Israeli government or of Zionism, which he opposes as ethno-nationalism, yet he believes Israel has every right to seek the elimination of Hamas and deal a decisive defeat to its other adversaries. He says he agrees with many points made by Israeli opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot, both on Israel's right to defend itself and on condemning the government's treatment of West Bank Palestinians.
To illustrate why he prefers an Israeli victory, he cites an Arab Israeli legal academic, Mohammed Wattad, who became president of one of the country's major universities. The author argues that no Jew could lead a major institution under Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, or the Palestinian Authority, and that while Arabs face considerable discrimination in Israel, the rule of Israel's enemies is vastly worse.
The compilation also includes arguments that hostage deals with terrorists incentivize future attacks, citing the 2011 Shalit deal that released Yahya Sinwar, and that Western countries should open doors to Gaza refugees. The author acknowledges his views are likely to annoy both critics and supporters of Israel.