Bezalel Smotrich: No political concessions for hostages

Finance Minister and Religious Zionism party leader Bezalel Smotrich released a statement tonight (Sunday) explaining in depth why agreeing to political concessions in exchange for hostages - in this case ending the war - would lead to additional deals with worse demands.

The statement reads:

"There have been reckless hostage deals before that cost us rivers of blood. But until now, these deals only included releasing terrorists. There has never been a deal where we took political steps as a condition for releasing hostages. Now, this is what Hamas demands: stopping the war, IDF withdrawal from Gaza, rebuilding Gaza, and keeping Hamas in power - completely contrary to the war's objectives. Hamas is essentially trying to force the political end-state of the war by using hostages and threatening their lives and well-being.

"This is a red line that must not be crossed. Some will say we've already crossed this line in the current stage of the deal by agreeing to withdraw from the Netzarim corridor and allowing Gazans to return to northern Gaza. This is true and it's one of the reasons we opposed the deal. But this is a temporary and reversible step - we must not let it become a slippery and dangerous slope.

"If, God forbid, we cross this red line and sign phase 2 of the deal, what will be the next stage? Terror organizations kidnapping more Israelis and demanding Israeli withdrawal from Judea and Samaria, evacuation of settlements, and establishing a Palestinian state in exchange for their release? Why not, actually?

"Iran kidnaps some Jewish families traveling abroad, transfers them to its territory and demands lifting economic sanctions against it, an Israeli commitment not to act against nuclear facilities, and a fast track to a bomb?

"You convince yourselves that this couldn't happen and that we would surely refuse to surrender to such demands? On what basis are you saying this? What's the difference between this and phase 2 of the deal that suddenly became so trivial and expected?!

"The irresponsible media in Israel will brainwash you without you noticing, just as it has been doing for over a year. It will put only the yellow color in symbols and flags in the background of every program and every interview, will invite 99% of interviewees who present only one position. It will deny, ridicule and completely delegitimize those who try to demonstrate the costs of the deal and oppose it. It will turn them into insensitive and evil people, "death eaters" who ignore the suffering of the hostages and their families. Systematically and consistently, it will pump only the critical need to return the hostages and hide other national values, considerations and interests. Hostages' families who want their loved ones home at any cost will demonstrate, attend every Knesset discussion, fill the studios and penetrate all our hearts. Retired generals will explain that Israel can deal with an Iranian atomic bomb or a Palestinian state, but not without returning the hostages. They will explain gravely that this is actually the absolute victory and without it there will be no future here.

"And what seems outrageous to us now will become normal and expected and self-evident and vital and necessary. Just as in the weeks after the terrible massacre of October 7, talking about stopping the war and surrendering and leaving Hamas in power was outrageous. And now, after a year of campaigning and brainwashing, it's almost the only thing allowed to talk about, and a hostage's father is allowed to wish for/call for the murder of a minister who opposes the deal that would return his son, and he continues to be a sought-after interviewee and no one has the courage to set boundaries for him.

"It must be said, it's difficult to judge the hostages' families in their heartbreaking pain. But a responsible state that wants to live cannot operate through their prism and cannot allow emotion and pain to defeat reason and endanger its existence and the future of all its citizens.

"This glaring red line must not be crossed. We will not be forced to take political steps as part of a hostage release deal. No responsible leader will make political decisions and surrender to political dictates as part of a hostage deal. Anyone who does this is not worthy of being a leader.

"Our government will not surrender to this madness. It will continue to act resolutely to return all hostages but will not surrender to Hamas and will not stop before its complete destruction."