By Avi Abelow, JNS
Once again, the anti-Netanyahu left continues to prove just how out of touch with reality they are. Their actions, particularly in recent days, endanger lives, including those of the remaining captives in Gaza.
Early Sunday morning, we learned the tragic news that Hamas had murdered six more of our hostages. And sadly, true to form, Israel’s most radical left is focused on undermining the Netanyahu government rather than directing their outrage at Hamas while demanding harsh retaliation—such as executing Hamas leaders in Israeli prisons, seizing more territory in Gaza, or cutting off aid.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid has blamed Netanyahu for the death of the six hostages. By using a national tragedy as a lever to continue the relentless campaign to topple the Netanyahu government, Lapid and his fellow leaders are essentially incentivizing Hamas to continue killing our captives.
This is a dangerous game, the aim of which is to destabilize our government. Hamas would benefit from a government more prone to appeasement than our current War Cabinet—making this a triple win for Hamas.
Israelis all share the same goal: freeing our captives and saving those who are still alive. However, we cannot overlook the fact that we are dealing with an enemy adept at psychological warfare, which uses our compassion against us. Netanyahu and his government stand firm against a triple threat that creates immense pressure from the international community, Hamas and the reckless political left, refusing to compromise the safety of all 9.5 million Israelis.
It's crucial to remember that Netanyahu has accepted every deal proposed by the Biden administration and that Hamas has consistently turned down every deal. U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken confirmed this several weeks ago when he said:
“Israel accepts the bridging hostage proposal. Hamas must also do so.” Hamas eventually said no, again.
And yet, Israel’s opposition leaders continue to spread false news and blame the Netanyahu government for the captives’ plight rather than Hamas, which only emboldens Israel's enemies, encouraging them to continue their aggression. This only encourages Hamas to continue to use the hostages as a means to weaken Israeli society.
Those who suggest Israel capitulate to Hamas's demands and then return to defeat them later in Gaza are ignoring the harsh reality of international pressure. After over 1,200 innocent Israelis were killed on Oct. 7, the world pushed for Israel to withdraw. The idea that we could return after making a significant concession and face no further international backlash is unrealistic.
The only viable solution to protect our captives—and ensure the safety of all Israelis—is to destroy Hamas, follow a strategic plan that includes deporting terror supporters and resettle Gaza with Jewish communities.
Anyone advocating for "days of rage" to topple the Israeli government rather than focus on destroying Hamas is only aiding our enemies and endangering all Israelis.
Instead of waking up to a public protest movement against Hamas, the political left has launched a ferocious campaign to drive Israelis into the streets, disrupt private life and topple the Netanyahu government.
The once rational, security-minded political left in Israel has been hijacked by an unhinged, dangerous Marxist ideology that distorts compassion and morality into a weapon against our national security. This delusion has become a critical threat to our survival, steering public consciousness away from confronting the grim realities of our ongoing terror war against a genocidal enemy.
For decades, this ideological blind spot has not only perpetuated but exacerbated the terror campaign waged against us by radical Islamic groups, of which Hamas is only one.
The terror war against Israel is not just a series of isolated attacks; it is a systematic, well-coordinated campaign fueled by hostile entities. Hamas in Gaza has been at the forefront of this assault, launching thousands of rockets at Israeli civilians and instigating unprecedented violence. The Palestinian Authority, pushed as a moderate peace partner, uses 17% of its budget, funded by international aid, to reward terrorists for killing innocent Jews in terror attacks. It plays a central role in perpetuating an environment of hostility, incitement and terror against Israel. Behind these organizations are the financial backers—namely, Iran and Qatar—providing the necessary resources for their operations.
By prioritizing ideological battles over security concerns, the left effectively weakens Israel’s position both domestically and internationally. This not only emboldens our enemies but also confuses the public discourse. When the focus is diverted from addressing terrorism to critiquing the Israeli government’s policies, it creates a false equivalence between aggressor and defender that feeds into the agenda of our enemies—and even allies—around the world.
It is crucial for the survival of our nation that we adopt a realistic approach to the threats we face. This means acknowledging the full extent of the terror war against us and supporting government policies that effectively address these dangers. A society can not let compassion be weaponized to undermine our security and endanger our lives.
This is exemplified by the 2011 Gilad Shalit deal, which was also pushed by the political left and the media, with a deliberate campaign to turn the public against Netanyahu. He succumbed, agreeing to the release of over 1,100 Hamas terrorists from Israeli jails in exchange for one IDF captive.
It is known throughout the country (to those that choose to admit the truth) that many of those released terrorists subsequently went on to murder Jews, including during the Oct. 7 massacre. His opponents blame Netanyahu for agreeing to that deal, while at the same time being the chief voices demanding that he repeat the mistake.
Israelis and Jews worldwide must wake up to the dangerous manipulation of Israel's political left and not be swayed by its arguments, cloaked as "compassion," that foment internal division and endanger our lives and national security.
It is a matter of life and death. While disagreement and debate are hallmarks of a healthy democracy, we cannot allow an extreme-left ideology to continue to mobilize the mainstream. It is imperative that we unite to confront the real enemy and existential threats our nation faces.
The political left in Israel must return to a more rational security approach, one that prioritizes the safety of Israeli citizens and the effective countering of terrorist threats. Despite the enormous pain and divisive tactics of the left's political leadership, we as a people are not broken and will continue to fight until we stop our enemies. As the Tikvah organization for families of captives in Gaza publicized on Sunday, “The people of Israel are alive, and despite the great pain, they have not broken and will continue to fight the murderers until the last of the kidnapped are returned and Hamas is destroyed."
