In veiled criticism of government’s planned Oct. 7 probe, Jon Polin stresses importance of ‘speaking the truth’

Speaking in English at Hostages Square, Jon Polin, father of slain hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, offers veiled criticism of the government’s refusal to establish a state commission of inquiry into failures surrounding the Hamas onslaught of October 7, 2023.

He notes that in next week’s Torah portion, Jacob wrestles with an angel who asks him what his name is, to which the patriarch answers, ‘Jacob’ — contrasting the way he had deceived his father, Isaac, by pretending to be his brother Esau.

“This time, Jacob owns who he is, and he faces the dishonesty of his past,” says Polin.

“Acknowledging our mistakes, speaking the truth — it can be hard. It requires courage and moral strength,” but only in so doing “can we heal our divisions and fulfill the full, tremendous potential of the people of Israel,” he says.

Eyal Eshel, father of slain surveillance soldier Roni Eshel, is more explicit.

Every day that passes with the remains of hostages Ran Gvili and Sudthisak Rinthalak still in Gaza “is a national disgrace,” says Eshel, adding that “instead of seeing a leadership eager to wrap up this story, we see a leadership determined to run away from it.”

“The government of Israel is doing everything so that a state commission of inquiry is not established,” he says. “It’s not just fear — it’s a manipulation by the authorities.”

The government has voted to establish its own commission of inquiry, arguing that a statutory state commission of inquiry would not enjoy broad public support since it would be convened by the judiciary, which the government seeks to weaken.

The government claims that the new commission would seek as broad public support as possible, despite public opinion polls consistently showing strong majorities in favor of a state commission.

“We demand a state commission — not a political one, not ‘by consensus’ and not by any other name,” says Eshel. “An investigation that will name those responsible and dismantle the mechanisms of debacle.”