Einav Tsengauker is Israel's bitter enemy - Here's why

Einav Tsengauker, the mother of hostage Matan Tsengauker, has become a polarizing figure in Israel: a symbol of maternal devotion and, to many, a dangerous catalyst for national division.

Today, her relentless campaign to secure her son’s release from Hamas captivity has escalated into a call for IDF reservists to refuse their call-up orders, a move that risks undermining Israel’s security at a critical juncture.

No one can question the agony of a mother whose child is held captive by a terrorist organization. Matan Tsengauker is one of the hostages taken by Hamas during the horrific October 7, 2023, attacks, and Einav’s desperation to bring him home is a human instinct that resonates deeply.

But instinct is not strategy, and passion is not policy. Tsengauker’s recent call for IDF reservists to refuse service crosses a dangerous line.

Israel faces an existential crisis. Hamas, backed by Iran and emboldened by global anti-Israel sentiment, has shown no willingness to negotiate in good faith. The group’s strategy is clear: prolong the conflict, maximize civilian suffering, and exploit Israel’s internal divisions to weaken its resolve.

Tsengauker’s call for reservists to abandon their duty feeds this strategy perfectly. By urging soldiers to defy orders, she is not only undermining the IDF’s operational capacity but also signaling to Hamas that Israel can be fractured from within.

In fact, the last time the country was so divided was during the judicial reform protests. Many reports indicate that Hamas grabbed a golden opportunity to strike Israel, when it saw its internal divisions and realized how weak it was as a result.

And what does Tsengauker want? To go back to pre October 7th and fan the flames of division all over again. Unfortunately, she has been very successful in her mission.

The Hostage Dilemma: A False Dichotomy

Tsengauker sees the hostage crisis as a zero-sum game: either Israel secures the release of the remaining hostages, estimated at fewer than 24 still alive, or it continues a war that she claims serves only political interests.

This oversimplification ignores the brutal reality of negotiating with a terrorist group that views hostage-taking as a tactical asset. Hamas has repeatedly rejected ceasefire proposals, including a five-year truce in exchange for all hostages, because it thrives on chaos and division. Tsengauker’s protests, which have included blocking roads in Tel Aviv and incendiary statements like threatening to “burn down the country” if a deal isn’t reached, only strengthen Hamas’s position.

Her actions have galvanized a protest movement that, while emotionally compelling, is strategically disastrous. By rallying thousands to demand an immediate end to the war, she is pressuring the Israeli government to make concessions that could embolden Hamas further. The nearly 1,000 Air Force reservists and veterans who signed a letter in April 2025 condemning the war as politically motivated were quickly disciplined, with active signatories dismissed, a sign of the IDF’s recognition that internal dissent cannot be tolerated in wartime.

But Tsengauker either does not understand this or worse, she really doesn't care.

The Cost of Division

Israel’s strength has always been its unity in the face of existential threats. The IDF, a citizens’ army reliant on reservists, is the backbone of that unity. Reservists, who juggle civilian lives with repeated combat tours, are already under immense strain.

Surveys show 75% have faced financial harm, and 41% have lost jobs due to prolonged deployments. Calling on them to refuse service is a direct attack on the social contract that binds Israelis together. Tsengauker’s rhetoric risks fracturing this contract, turning a nation of shared purpose into one of competing agendas.

Her defenders argue that she is a grieving mother fighting for her son’s life, and her pain excuses her excesses. But pain does not grant immunity from consequences.

Tsengauker’s actions have real-world impacts: they demoralize soldiers, embolden enemies, and destabilize the delicate balance of wartime governance. Prime Minister Netanyahu, often criticized for his handling of the hostage crisis, has faced pressure from both hawks and doves.

Yet, even he has condemned reservist refusals as “unforgivable” in wartime, recognizing that dissent strengthens Israel’s adversaries. Tsengauker’s protests, while framed as a fight for the hostages, are inadvertently aligning with Hamas’s goal of sowing chaos.

A Mother, Not a Martyr

Einav Tsengauker is not a villain. She is a mother consumed by love and desperation, driven to extremes by the unimaginable horror of her son’s captivity.

But her campaign has lost sight of the broader stakes. Israel is not just fighting for the hostages: it is fighting for its existence against a terrorist group that seeks its destruction. The war in Gaza, now in its 17th month, has exacted a heavy toll: thousands of Israeli soldiers and civilians dead, Gaza reduced to rubble, and no clear end in sight.

Yet, abandoning the fight, as Tsengauker’s calls imply, would mean ceding victory to Hamas, ensuring more attacks, more hostages, and more suffering.

Tsengauker must stop, for her son’s sake and for the nation’s. Israel cannot afford to tear itself apart while its enemies circle. The hostages deserve better. The country deserves better.

And Tsengauker, if she truly wants to save Matan, must realize that her fight is not against Israel: it’s against the terrorists holding her son.