From the Liveblog of
Sunday, September 1, 2024
Deri calls on lawmakers to show unity, not to fuel hatred, after hostages’ bodies recovered
Sam Sokol is the Times of Israel's political correspondent. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
Aryeh Deri, the chairman of the Shas party, issues a call for unity during “this difficult time” when “the best of our sons and daughters have been murdered by the accursed Hamas terrorists.”
Amid rising criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government for their handling of the war in Gaza in the aftermath of the discovery of the bodies of six more hostages, the ultra-Orthodox politician calls on his “brothers and friends from all factions, coalition and opposition alike, to act at this time for the unity of the people, to show courage and leadership and not to multiply hatred, polarization, and division.”
“We all agree and there is no dispute about the sacred duty to return the hostages immediately, alongside the urgent duty to eradicate Hamas. These two values constitute the significant basis for unity,” he states. “The unity of the people and its division are directly affected by the elected officials. When the leadership continues and works for unity, the masses of the people will also be united.”
In a separate statement, Housing Minister Yitzchak Goldknopf, the leader of the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party, mourns the deaths of the hostages who “were brutally murdered at the place of captivity by Hamas monsters.”
“There are no words that can express the infinite sorrow. I send my condolences from the bottom of my heart to the families. May you know no more sorrow and pain,” he tweets.
