6 | JUNE 20 • 2024
J
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PURELY COMMENTARY
crime and a stain on the
global community. Hamas’
evil is intensified by their
refusal to allow the Red Cross
to visit and treat the hostages.
Jon Polin, the father
of hostage Hersh Polin,
explained the pain of the
world’s decision to ignore his
son and the other hostages’
pain.
“The lack of response
seemingly from the world is
so immensely frustrating,” he
said. “We speak to politicians,
we speak to diplomats, we
speak to religious leaders, we
speak to anybody who quote-
unquote falls into the bucket
of this mysterious group of
leaders who run the world,
and nobody seems equipped
to do anything about it.
“We get sympathy, we get
hugs, but the frustration
of inaction, inactivity
on a massive scale is just
immensely frustrating. …
This is the epitome of a global
humanitarian issue that does
not seem to be seen through
that lens.”
An argument can be
made that the slogan for
the campaign to free the
hostages should be “Let our
people go,” which puts the
pressure and responsibility
where it belongs: on Hamas.
Moses used that phrase
before Pharaoh to make the
point that it was Pharoah’s
responsibility to emancipate
the Jews in Egypt. Why is
the bring-the-hostages-home
campaign’s slogan “bring them
home,” which suggests the
burden to free the hostages is
on Israel and the IDF rather
than Hamas?
Echoing Begin’s remarks
at the state dinner in 1981,
Israeli President Isaac Herzog
spoke about the Zionist
value of taking responsibility
for Israelis’ security. It
was the perfect setting to
make the point: the gala
event celebrating the 125th
anniversary of the First
Zionist Congress in Basel at
the Stadtcasino Basel concert
hall.
“From the moment of its
establishment, Zionism was a
movement that championed
shared responsibility for our
destiny,” Herzog said. “And
today, now that the mission
rests on our shoulders,
we must bear it together.
Only together. Together
shall we follow the path of
the visionary of our state
and Zionism’s founding
generation; together shall we
believe in Zionism and be
proud of it; together shall we
choose responsibility every
day and keep our country and
our people safe.”
The blame for the hostages’
pain falls squarely on Hamas,
but as Begin, Herzog and
so many other Zionist
leaders explained, Zionism
is a movement built on the
fundamental principle that
Jews take responsibility for the
well-being of other Jews.
Israel didn’t demand
that Argentina extradite
Adolf Eichmann, that
Palestinian terrorists release
the passengers of Sabena
flight 571 or that Idi Amin
send the Israeli hostages in
Entebbe back to Israel. The
Israeli security forces took
responsibility for the Israeli
people’s security and took
action.
Hamas is paying and will
continue to pay for its evil
acts. It is Israel’s and the IDF’s
responsibility to bring the
hostages home.
Rabbi Uri Pilichowski is a senior
educator at numerous educational
institutions. The author of three books,
he teaches Torah, Zionism and Israel
studies around the world.
continued from page 4
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