The heart is broken by the terrible tragedy of the kidnapped. If the unimaginable suffering of the kidnapped themselves, who go through a veritable hell every day in the terror tunnels, and the mental anguish of the families, who are torn apart by worry and frustration, were not enough, unnecessary tension has recently developed with large sections of the public, who do not agree with the families' methods of protest.
First, we must make it clear that even if we do not accept the families' demands and do not support their every move, we must understand their terrible plight and treat them with the utmost sensitivity.
It is a continuous nightmare that has lasted for more than four months, making every minute feel like an eternity. The families watch with tearful eyes as day after day passes and still no hope is seen on the horizon. This reality is mind-boggling and evokes a tremendous outcry.
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Responsibility to the general public
But with all the empathy and all the identification with the terrible pain, it is impossible to act based on emotion alone, and the situation must be dealt with with discretion and responsibility.
It is likely that many of the families cannot think of anything else but the release of their loved ones, and from their perspective, it is appropriate to do 'everything' to achieve this goal. But decision-makers must consider the public at large, and when these considerations are considered, it is clear that 'everything' cannot be done.
The media presents the demand to submit to Hamas' demands as a 'Jewish value' and as an expression of 'mutual responsibility.' This is a statement that is not true and even unfair. Those who oppose this demand do not adhere less to Jewish values and do not feel less about mutual responsibility. Quite the opposite is true; they believe that the Jewish heritage teaches that it is forbidden to submit to demands that are disastrous for the entire public.
Indeed, the redemption of captives is a supreme value in the Jewish heritage, but the Mishnah already places clear restrictions on this in the statement: "Captives are no longer redeemed for their blood, for the sake of the correction of the world.".
Please note: this is only about money, and the mishna states that it is forbidden to pay an exorbitant price. And is there an exorbitant price for rescuing a captive from his captors? It turns out that there is, if the exorbitant price becomes an incentive that will lead to additional kidnappings.
We all see what happened following an emotional campaign that distorted judgment. It was not long ago, in the campaign for the release of Gilad Shalit. In retrospect, is there any reasonable person who believes that it was right to release the arch-murderer Sinwar from prison and hundreds of other murderers with him? Did saving the life of one soldier justify the many sacrifices and the terrible bloodshed that this release brought upon us?
Just a decision
Do those who promote the slogan "at any cost" understand the terrible significance of stopping the war, after all the precious sacrifices made during it? How can hundreds of thousands of residents of the south and the north return to their homes without a crushing and complete victory being achieved? Are their lives not precious and is concern for the safety of their children not a Jewish value?
There is no choice but to end the war by defeating the enemy and completely dismantling the murderous terrorist organization. This is the only chance for the release of the hostages and ensuring security for years to come.
