https://fstube.net/w/h4QYk1gXZ9uLV12s5aHUW5
This video was brought to my attention by J Street, which describes
itself as "the political home of pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy
Americans." They write:
"Netanyahu is leading Israel and the hostages to doom.”
That’s what hostage families had to say amid
reports that Prime Minister Netanyahu is planning to intensify the war in Gaza
and fully occupy the Gaza Strip, a step which right-wing coalition partners see
as essential as they press to resettle the Strip and expel Palestinian
civilians.
The plan is reportedly strongly opposed by the head of the IDF – himself a
Netanyahu appointee – and comes after the majority of former leaders of
Israel’s security agencies joined forces to issue a public call for Netanyahu
to end the war.
Here’s the latest update from Israel, where Netanyahu appears intent on defying
growing outcry from both the international community and within Israel over his
failure to pursue a war-ending hostage deal. Please feel free to forward this
to anyone who may be interested in seeing it:
In an unprecedented plea, a majority of the living former leaders of Israeli
security agencies – from the IDF to the Shin Bet to Mossad – issued a public
call to Netanyahu to end the war for the sake of Israel’s own security:
* Ami Ayalon, Former Head of the Shin Bet: “This was
started as a just, defensive war. But once we achieved all its military
objectives [...] this war stopped being a just war. This is leading the state
of Israel to the loss of its security and identity.”
* Moshe Ya’alon, Former IDF Chief of Staff: “There are
moments that represent a black flag in which one must stand firm and say ‘this
far and no further.’”
* Tamir Pardo, Former Head of the Mossad: “No matter
how good the army is, a war with no political goal is a guarantee of defeat.”
* Yoram Cohen, Former Head of the Shin Bet: “The damage
is severe internationally, and we have not advanced in any way towards the
release of the hostages.”
Over 600 former Israeli security and diplomatic officials have called on
President Trump to press Netanyahu to end the war:
* “The IDF has long accomplished the two objectives
that could be achieved by force: dismantling Hamas’ military formations and
governance. The third, and most important, can only be achieved through a deal:
bringing all hostages home,” wrote the group in an open letter.
* “It is our professional judgement that Hamas no
longer poses a strategic threat to Israel, and our experience tells us that
Israel has all it takes to deal with its residual terror capabilities, remotely
or otherwise.”
* Brig. Gen. (res.) Oren Setter, who served as a senior
Israeli negotiator for the first year of this war, similarly publicly condemned
the Israeli government’s “resounding failure” to secure a partial hostage deal,
and called for “a comprehensive agreement to free all hostages and end the
war.”
Over 1,000 Israeli artists and cultural figures signed a petition voicing their
moral opposition to their government’s conduct of the war in Gaza:
* The petition calls out “the horrific actions carried
out by our government in Gaza: the killing of children and civilians, policies
of starvation, mass displacement, and the senseless destruction of entire
cities.”
* The artists also stated their concern that they share
complicity in the “horrifying events” in Gaza against their will, and called on
the government to end the war.
* The petition was signed by several prominent figures,
including Etgar Keret, David Grossman, and Chava Alberstein.
Following distressing new images of emaciated hostages – and footage of one of
the hostages being forced to ‘dig his own grave’ – hostage families have
renewed their call for Israel to agree to a comprehensive hostage deal:
* “Expanding the war endangers the lives of hostages
who are already in immediate danger of death,” hostage families said in a joint
statement.
* A new poll from the Institute for National Security
Studies found that 76% of Israelis have lost trust in Netanyahu’s government,
61% believe that the current strategy doesn’t facilitate the return of hostages
and 52% blame the government fully or partially for the impasse.
Former Israeli Prime Ministers are continuing to speak out against Netanyahu’s
handling of the war in Gaza:
* This week, Ehud Barak called for an end to
Netanyahu’s “war of deception,” which he said has “nothing to do with the
security of Israel or its interests. It’s about keeping alive the coalition and
Netanyahu because the day the war is over is a day of reckoning.”
* In May, Ehud Olmert wrote: “The government of Israel
is currently waging a war without purpose, without goals or clear planning and
with no chances of success.”
Meanwhile, Netanyahu’s decisions to prolong the war and obstruct humanitarian
aid are dealing a catastrophic blow to Israel’s international reputation:
* Negative perceptions of Israel are growing worldwide,
including in the United States, where Pew Polling shows 53% of Americans now
have a negative view of Israel – up 11 points since a poll taken before the
Gaza war.
* Just 8% of Democrats and 25% of Independents support
Israel’s campaign in Gaza, according to a new Gallup poll.
We owe it to the hostage families, civilians in Gaza, soldiers on the front
lines and Israel’s future to continue to speak out against the Netanyahu
government’s conduct of this war and to ramp up pressure for an immediate
war-ending hostage deal and a surge of humanitarian aid.
Silence is complicity, and we cannot afford to stay silent any longer.
Yours,
Adina Vogel Ayalon
Vice President and Chief of Staff, J Street
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