Weekly Commentary: Hostage Families Mentally Tortured By False Claims
Politics Blocks Deal

Dr. Aaron Lerner 18 December 2024

My heart goes out to the families of the hostages every time I hear someone
proclaim that the hostages aren't free because of political considerations.

It is perhaps the ultimate form of mental torture possible in the Jewish
State.

Let us be clear:

I do not think that the ostensibly knowledgeable people who assert that
Israel should acquiesce to any and every Hamas demand are driven by some
political motivation or scheme.

I do think that they are terribly wrong and that the fact that they support
this position raises serious doubts regarding their analytical skills.

By the same token, I can accept that these "deal at any price" advocates may
think that those opposing a deal at any price are terribly wrong in their
analysis.

But this is a genuine policy dispute, not an argument between one group
possessing an absolute truth and evil politicians only interested in staying
in power.

I am not for a moment going to claim that the families of hostages would
find solace knowing that the leaders of Israel who reject a deal at any
price do so out of legitimate considerations.

Nonetheless, I maintain that it is immeasurably more painful to think that
their loved one may ultimately die because of politics rather than policy.

________________________________________
IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis

Since 1992 providing news and analysis on the Middle East with a focus on
Arab-Israeli relations

Website: www.imra.org.il