Ultra-Orthodox party leader welcomes hostage deal: ‘Saving a life comes before the entire Torah’

By Sam Sokol 15 January 2025, 8:15 pm

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Sam 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"

Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf speaks at the International Bay Conference for Regionality, in Haifa, December 18, 2024. (Flash90)

Housing Minister Yitzchak Goldknopf, the chairman of the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party, welcomes the hostage deal with Hamas, declaring that “saving a life comes before the entire Torah.”

“Our sons and daughters who are dying in the Hamas tunnels are crying out to us and begging for their lives,” he tweets. “With God’s help, I will be able to once again fulfill the incomparable commandment of ransoming captives and to support the deal tomorrow…while safeguarding Israel’s security interests. We are waiting for you!”