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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