I’ve thought about this – more times than I would like to admit.
What I would not do…
I would not undermine the Israel government and weaken them in the minds of the world and the enemy.
I would not give the enemy the satisfaction of believing they could get deals of 1000 to 1 or even 50 to one.
I would not block roads and make others suffer because I would believe my people stand with me and making people take 3 hours to get home doesn’t actually result in any hostages bring released. Setting fires by burning tires in Tel Aviv has returned no one.
What I would do…
I would demand my child’s life and pray the Israeli government wouldn’t listen.
I would travel the world and demand the world stand with Israel and demand my child’s release.
I would agree to an exchange of one to one… even one to 5. But not 1 to 123.
But my main focus would be relentlessly to demand the world… not Israel.
And I would listen to what my sons have told me… not to demand such terms for their lives, not to release so many that will endanger Israel in the future.
And I would cry a million tears, and pray a billion prayers.
And I would demand the government institute the death penalty, and even apply it retroactively….
I would have the government announce the names of terrorists who have been convicted of the deaths of 5 or more Israelis… and confirm a policy that says for each Israeli held hostage and not returned alive…5 of these murderers will be executed.
Marwin Barghouti, convicted in the deaths of 31, will be the first to die.
I would unite the people of Israel rather than divide them. Because in our unity is our strength.
The absurd “Bring Them Home” before the enemy by making it seem the burden is on us. “Let my people go” places this where responsibility belongs… on the savages who took them. And so that would be my slogan, the website created, the posters and balloons and buttons spread around the world.
A strong, supported government has power. The families were taken advantage of and misguided by the people who hate Bibi more than they love Israel, the dividers, the people who protested every Saturday night and realized they’d failed in almost a year but now had a new lever to use.
They made this about Bibi… and his government… their agenda… but the important and real agenda the families should have had was ignored.
What I would do, is stand with the Tikva Hostages Families Forum, and so should you.
