"You are not Alone": Knesset Plenum in a Special Discussion for the Abductees

"The Knesset has changed its face in these 80 days and from an arena of strife and controversy, it tries, mostly successfully, to find the unifying, the common goals for all of us. And the return of all the abductees is indeed such a goal on the agenda of many members of the Knesset: in committee discussions, in legislation, here in the Knesset plenum and outside the Knesset."

"Many of us understood that while our soldiers are fighting for the return of your loved ones shoulder to shoulder - both opposition supporters and coalition supporters, soldiers of one nation - we also have an obligation to find the unifying and the common."

Prime Minister Netanyahu said at the special meeting in the Knesset for the abductees: "We will shake every tree and turn over every stone to return all our abductees. We will not succeed in freeing all the abductees without military pressure, so one thing will not be done - we will not stop fighting.

"We will continue to make every effort to bring them home. I want to tell you, dear families, that we would not have been able to release over a hundred of the abductees so far without the military pressure. All other efforts would not have been successful without the military pressure and we will not be able to release all the abductees without military, political and operational pressure. Therefore, one thing will not be done - we will not stop fighting."

He was followed by opposition leader Yair Lapid, who said: "We need to bring the abductees home now. This is what the strong side does - and we are the strong - it defines an order of priorities for itself, and acts according to it. In the order of priorities of the State of Israel, the return of the abductees is the more urgent, the more alarming goal, The epitome of the concept, 'a matter of life and death.'

"I say to the government: Regarding the abductees, this is also what will happen in the future. We will not turn on you. We will not say that we would have gotten a better deal. We will not claim that you harmed the goals of the war or prevented the collapse of Hamas. If it brings the abductees home, we will support it."