Q&A: The Speech in Congress
The Speech in Congress
Question
Hello Rabbi,
This week Netanyahu is supposed to fly to Washington and speak in Congress, and his mother has decided, among other things, to include some of the hostages, among them Noa Argamani.
In response, some of the hostage families are asking her not to join him on this flight. In my opinion, this trip can only improve the hostages’ standing and not harm it (even if she really is becoming a political tool of Netanyahu), and in this case the families who oppose Netanyahu are acting here directly because of their views about the Prime Minister. What is the Rabbi’s opinion here? What is the right thing to do? Is there a moral issue here—that despite Netanyahu’s cynical game with the hostages, one should still stand with him in this delegation?
Answer
You are assuming that there is a cynical game by Netanyahu here. On what basis? Based on the information I have, there is no basis for that, and this is a false accusation. In my view, this is an ugly move by some of the hostage families, who are exploiting their status for political purposes and falsely accusing Bibi of being the one preventing the hostages’ return. It is a kind of “sulking” at the State of Israel that is trying to force it into very problematic steps in order to bring back the hostages—steps that probably will not even help bring them back. Some of these families have been swept up by the protest movement and anti-Bibi-ism, and others, apparently from sheer grief, have lost their minds.
Discussion on Answer
Thank you for the answer,
I do indeed also think that this trip truly has no malicious intentions. Even so, I still find myself wondering how even people with little ability sometimes manage to pull a few tricks out of the hat.
I can accept the claim that the hostage families have been driven out of their minds by grief, but I do not accept the claim that the families were swept up by the anti-Bibi movement. Anyone who has a child can understand that no matter how much he despises someone or something, he will do everything to bring back a lost child, including licking the shoes of someone he despises. Therefore, when there is a request from hostage families not to join the trip, I do not see that as cynicism.
What exactly would Bibi gain from Argamani’s presence? What personal interest of his is involved here? This is an interest of the State of Israel and part of the effort to apply pressure for the return of the hostages, and to enable us to keep fighting in order to create stronger pressure.
Meanwhile, despite my disgust for Bibi and his coalition partners, I take my hat off to him, to Smotrich, and to Ben-Gvir, who are standing like a fortified wall against the ugly and foolish pressures for a deal at any price and against the international pressures. Credit where credit is due.