Father of Fallen Soldier: ‘No One Is Burning Down my Country’

Photo Credit: YouTube screenshot

On Saturday night, a demonstrator who said she was from Be’eri, told Haaretz, “We’ll burn down the country until they are returned,” referring to the 134 Israeli hostages in Hamas’s captivity (Anarchists Use Hostages’ Images without their Families’ Consent to ‘Burn Down the Country’).

On Sunday morning, Hagai Luber, who was evacuated from Gush Katif in 2005 and lost his son, Yehonatan, in the Gaza war, responded with a startling post:

Nobody will burn down my country.

We are tired of the threats of the extremists.
Yes, even if these extremists have relatives in Gaza.
You will not burn down the country.
That’s out of the question.
And if I have to fight you, I will fight.
Millions of people look at you in disbelief, disapproval, shock,
And only because they respect you they keep silent.
I will not be silent.

My son was killed in Gaza.
He went to protect and free your children,
And was killed.
Left everything, left behind a pregnant wife and a nine-month-old child,
And was killed.
He won’t come back again, under no agreement.

And so, I am allowed to tell you:
You must not break up the country.
You must not go wild.
You are not allowed to block roads.
You must not confront the police.
You must not call to refuse to serve.
You are not allowed to shake patrol cars.
You must not try to break into the Prime Minister’s home.

The fact that your children are captives in Gaza,
It hurts, it’s unfortunate, it cuts us all from the inside,
It will make me send again the three sons I have left,
To fight, and to risk their lives for them.

But this does not give you any prerogative:

You have no right to “take off the gloves.”
You have no right to curse elected officials
You have no right to scream “Shame.”
You have no right to violate public order.
You have no right to block Ben Gurion International.
You have no right to declare a strike on the economy.
You have no such right.

Restrain yourselves. Do you hear?
Restrain yourselves.

Express your opinion – but don’t shout.
Say we must have an agreement now – but don’t block ro0ads.
Say that every last terrorist must be released in exchange for all the hostages – but don’t call for a rebellion.
Say that the Knesset is not allowed to go on recess – but don’t threaten.
Say that Bibi must be replaced – but don’t set fires.
Say that elections must be held now – but don’t you dare attack the Knesset.
Say that everyone failed – but don’t even think about the possibility of a coup.

Stop threatening this nation.
This is your opinion. We heard you. Don’t impose it.

Want to hear my opinion too?

In my opinion, Yehonatan was killed because of the Oslo Accords, which some of you supported.
In my opinion, Yehonatan was killed because of the expulsion from Gush Katif, which some of you encouraged, with support signs at the entrances to kibbutzim.

Yet,

I don’t scream at you in the streets,
I’m not blocking your path,
I don’t refuse military commands,
I don’t smuggle my money abroad,
I do not curse your elected officials who are still supporting all these disasters.
I sent and will send my sons to fight.
I will support and obey any elected government, even if its opinion differs from mine.
I don’t think I have the right to destroy this beloved country.

Because now we are fighting,
Because now we are recovering.
Because now we are connecting.
Now is the time to turn outward together.
This is the time to show love to each other.

And to the Kaplanists, to the Brothers in Arms, to the Baraks, to the Olmerts who always wanted to overthrow Bibi, I say,
Don’t take a ride on the pain of the families.
Do not
Do not
Do not
Change your direction.

And you should know, dear hostages’ families,
We have not forgotten your relatives, our brothers,
We have not forgotten and we will not forget.
But enough.
Stop for the sake of God, for the sake of the people, for the sake of victory.

And if not,
I and others will be there.
Bereaved families, IDF wounded, and hostages’ families who think differently,
We will stand together against anarchy,
And we won’t let you.
We simply won’t.

I call on people from the right and the left who want to join me in the fight against the violent campaign,
Creative campaigners, fundraisers.
Contact me privately here,
And together we will build a force that will stand against this madness.