This is what Israelis should be arguing about.
My bias is showing here. I believe that all the demonstrations in Israel insisting that the government accept a deal NOW, accept ceasefire NOW are working against the better interests of both the state in general and the hostages in particular. I bring to you a few of those who see it this way too.
I challenge those of you who differ to give me good reason to change my mind. And not because something is the “right” thing to do, or the “moral” thing to do, but because it really would get ALL the hostages back home again, either to build their lives anew or to be buried with respect.
But first, here are voices insisting we not insist on a deal NOW!
Uncle of hostage says strike gift for Hamas
The way to bring back hostages is to halt negotiations with Hamas. The strike [from 1 August] is endangering their lives,” stated Rabbi Shimon Or on Monday morning. His nephew, Avinatan Or, is held captive by Hamas in Gaza. … Hamas and Sinwar see the demonstrations and become more intransigent. What will we achieve? Sinwar will not relent; he will murder ten more hostages.
Now, with another round of ceasefire talks ongoing, Hamas are playing their final card. The hostages have slowed Israeli operations. Israel has a good idea of where most of the hostages are. Their intelligence is superb. The IDF never fire when they know hostages might be nearby.
….Sinwar knows his days are numbered and a ceasefire is his, and Hamas’, only hope of surviving this war with any kind of capability remaining. And so he lays down his Royal Flush. This evening, Hamas announced that should the IDF get close to rescuing any hostages, they will be executed as these 6 were.
This is a weapon aimed directly at the heart and soul of Israeli society.
I am friends with hostage families. I am in awe of their courage, their determination, their love. #BringThemHomeNow may as well be tattooed on my heart—I feel it that deeply. But not at the price of the existence of the state of Israel. This war is bigger than just Gaza. It is Hezbollah, it is the West Bank, it is Iran. Israel cannot blink and surrender just because their hearts are broken.
I could go on and on bringing more statements similar to these. But if not a hostage/ceasefire deal then what? Zvika Mor tells us what. Zvika Mor is Eitan Mor’s father. Eitan is in Hamas captivity.
You may find what Zvika says abhorrent. I think that if we argue about what he is suggesting, rather than continuing to argue about whether or not to accept “the” deal (the clauses of which none of us really know), it will give Israel more leverage over Hamas. The very fact that we change the content of our arguments among ourselves can do that.
I have translated Mor’s words below the video and edited it for ease of comprehension.
The approach taken by Forum Tikva (Hope Forum) is broader than military pressure. The State of Israel has superiority. Israel is the superpower and she is also Hamas’ victim. She is the one who must set the rules and not give in to Hamas’ rules. This is not a negotiation between two equal parties. There is the good party and the bad party and therefore we are not talking only about military pressure; we are talking about any pressure that can compel Hamas to give us back the hostages.
There is only one question that is of interest to us, in my opinion, and that is: what will force Hamas to give us back the hostages?
And I say “anything.” It does not matter what. Anything. The lives of our hostages are difficult. We must do anything that will make Hamas release them. If that means that Israel begins to annex Gazan territory every day, we do that. If it means the death sentence for terrorists, eviction of terrorist families, and use of their property for the sake of bereaved families, we do that. Capturing all the Hamas terrorist leaders in Judea and Samaria together with their wives and children and holding them under minimal conditions, feeding them only bread and water? We do that.
Because the lives of our hostages are sacred and the lives of those who want to exterminate us are not, not at all.
I am not asking you to agree with what Mor says. I am asking for this to be the content of our arguments among ourselves — loudly argued, as loudly as those with megaphones on stages at Hostage Square and other points around the country, and as attention grabbing as the fires lit on our streets by those demanding ceasefire NOW!
When Sinwar and his cronies see that THIS is what we are arguing about, they may begin to take our talk as seriously as they take our soldiers with their snipers’ weapons, our tanks, our planes roaring overhead, and the blasts that blow up their expensive tunnel system.
If you want to learn why Forum Tikva was established, watch this short video. It has English subtitles.
The demonstrations are against Bibi and the current coalition. They don’t criticize IDF leaders who are responsible for failures.