David Bernstein | 7.15.2024 11:38 AM
One constant refrain I have seen in the media since Hamas' Oct. 7 massacre is that Israel is seeking "revenge" in Gaza, or "retaliating" for Oct. 7. Israel, by contrast, asserts two primary motivations–return of its hostages, and the defeat of Hamas to restore Israeli security.
Having just returned from Israel, on the same lawprof trip that Josh Blackman went on, I saw firsthand that Israel's account of things is the one widely embraced by the Israeli public. As soon as you step off the airplane in Israel, posters with photos of the hostages are everywhere. In talking to Israelis, it's obvious how deeply the hostage situation cuts. Israelis don't just know that there are 120 hostages, they know their individual names and stories by heart.
As for security, people underestimate how much of a shock 10/7 was to Israelis. There were the multiple failures of the intelligence services and the army. There was the depraved brutality of Hamas. But most of all, there was the uncertainty and a loss of a sense of personal security. That morning, the country was in chaos. No one knew how bad the attack was, or what it would lead to. Would Hamas break through to the southern cities of Ashdod, Ashkelon, and Be'er Sheva? Would there be a simultaneous attack from the West Bank, threatening not just border towns but Israelis in the "center," including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem? Would Hezbollah join the attack, and launch thousands of precision missiles at Israeli cities? Iran? No one knew,........