From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, October 8, 2024
In apparent U-turn, several leading religious Zionist rabbis call for ‘responsible’ hostage deal
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleSam Sokol is a former political correspondent at The Times of Israel. 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"
Several leading rabbis of the right-wing religious Zionist community, including the father of Heritage Minister Amichay Eliyahu, are calling on the government to take any action necessary to free Israeli hostages held in Gaza — including via “a responsible deal.”
The letter, whose signatories include Ramat Gan Chief Rabbi Yaakov Ariel and leading hardliners, such as settler leader Elyakim Levanon and Safed Chief Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, appears to represent an about-face for the rabbis, who had previously signed an appeal to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arguing that an agreement withdrawing troops from Gaza and swapping captives for Palestinian prisoners would endanger more Israelis.
“Rescuing the abductees is a great mitzvah, a Jewish, moral and national duty of the first order,” the rabbis, who are considered close to far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, write, calling on the government “to act against Hamas with all of the tools and means at its disposal to save the lives of our kidnapped brothers and sisters.”
“We back the Israeli government to intensify its actions with determination, courage and bravery without delay to return all the hostages, in any way necessary,” including via “a responsible agreement – which, according to the assessment of the political leadership and the security forces, will not harm and endanger the security of the state, and in a way that will not allow the return of the Hamas terrorist threat from Gaza,” they continue.
Smotrich has previously threatened to bolt the coalition if Israel agrees to a deal that includes “strategic concessions.” Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Israel’s security chiefs have urged Netanyahu to compromise more on the issue.
Notably absent from the signatories of the appeal was ultranationalist settler leader Rabbi Dov Lior, who had signed this summer’s anti-deal letter. Lior is close to National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, the head of the Otzma Yehudit party.
The Times of Israel Community.