The Israelis who want ‘Ceasefire NOW!’

If anyone stops the IDF from fighting back, from achieving victory, it will not be those abroad shouting, “Ceasefire NOW!” It will be those here shouting, “Bring Them Home NOW!”

It has become clear that the families of the hostages, their organization, their supporters and their funders have become the strongest opponents of the war against Hamas. And this ultimately means, giving Hamas the victory to attack us again.

Their slogan, “Bring Them Home NOW!” can only be interpreted as, “Ceasefire NOW!” – The same slogan of every anti-Israel rally going on around the world. How else can you bring the hostages home NOW! except by surrendering to Hamas’ demands for a complete cease-fire, freeing all Palestinian prisoners and allowing unlimited aid and trade into Gaza?

Some of their spokespersons are now calling openly for this to happen.

As I’ve written before, the families have every right to protest for the return of their loved ones, and to use every means that their multi-million dollar budget enables them to.

But our leaders have the obligation to tell them, “No. Not now. Not at any price.”

The “Bring Them Home NOW!” proponents have also taken over the Saturday night rallies in Tel Aviv that have been continuing for many years. I believe they have been attended by the same people throughout their metamorphoses.

The first rallying cry was “Crime Minister” (without flags), then “Save Our Democracy” (with flags), and today “Bring Them Home NOW!” I believe that the decision for them not to carry flags this time is to disassociate themselves from the more divisive “Save Our Democracy” demonstrations.

The slogans change, but the anti-government agenda stays the same. The demonstrations and the entire campaign are being financed by the same left-wing foundations which have supported the earlier protest movements. It’s a multi-million dollar operation. Full-color personalized shirts, hats, posters, giant banners on every street corner and bus station, media advertisements, marches, concerts, press conferences, social media, trips for entire delegations to overseas rallies, sound systems, cameras, producers, directors, actors. Their budget now also includes TV commercials on prime time.

Wouldn’t all of these many millions have been better spent on enhanced equipment and personal amenities for our soldiers, psychological support for citizens, and improved services for evacuees from the north and south?

The media have become shameless cheerleaders for the NOW! crowd, trading journalism for advocacy. Instead of asking tough questions like they ask politicians and generals, our journalists sit like puppy dogs and give the family member or released hostage a free sounding board.

You would think an interviewer would ask, just once, “And what should we do to bring them home NOW?”  I have never heard them ask this question.  Could this be deliberate so the interviewees don’t have to give embarrassing (and perhaps disloyal) answers like, “Release all the Hamas prisoners” or “Declare a cease-fire immediately.”

Unlike all the printed words and air time given to the families of the hostages, the responses of soldiers’ families are almost unheard.  They too have sons and daughters in danger.  They too have sons and daughters who, unlike the hostages, will never be coming home.

Could this be deliberate so our media stars will never have to hear that the soldiers who fell, or are still fighting, were absolutely opposed to stopping the war before full victory over Hamas is achieved?  And that doing so will make their deaths in vain.

The TV news programs have also been screening promotional videos of released hostages – professionally scripted, filmed from multiple angles, excellent production values (sound and lighting), with soppy background music.  Each monologue ends with the speaker demanding, “Bring them home NOW!”

These are presented as news items, without informing the viewers that they are professional videos produced by a partisan interest group.

Until now, it appears as if the political echelon is standing firm against the immense pressure of this campaign.  But we’ve seen in the past that such pressure can prove to be overwhelming, as when the release of one or two hostages, alive or dead, was achieved by giving in to the kidnappers’ demands.  If this happens now, Hamas will win.

Yes, bringing home the hostages is a moral imperative – but the most immoral thing we can do is to lose this war.