by Izzy Salant
“This isn’t ‘peace through strength,’” Mort Klein, of ZOA, told JNS. “It is heartbreaking and infuriating and frightening that Israel’s government is agreeing to this deal.”
American Jewish organizations largely lauded the ceasefire and hostage-release deal, which U.S. and Israeli officials announced on Wednesday, though noted that it was insufficient.
“There is much work to be done and significant uncertainty ahead, but we are hopeful that the first phase of this agreement will pave the way for the remaining hostages to be reunited with their family, for hostilities to end, and for an era of security and rebuilding for both Israel and her neighbors,” the Jewish Federations of North America stated.
The Federation thanked U.S. President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump “for their unprecedented coordination to bring both sides together to get a deal done.”
Harriet Schleifer and William Daroff, chair and CEO, respectively, of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, stated that the umbrella group receives news of the deal “with a mix of relief, heartache and continued outrage.”
“Relief because now 33 men and women will be returned to their families. Relief because at last those who have died while in the dungeons of the Hamas terrorists will at least be afforded a decent and respectful burial,” the duo stated. “We know the announcement today of a deal is just the beginning of a process that will hopefully bring home all of the hostages.”
The group also expressed “heartbreak” for the hostages who were killed in captivity and on Oct. 7, 2023, and “outrage that the plight of our kidnapped friends, family, and community members has too often been minimized and even dismissed,” the two leaders said.
The American Jewish Committee stated that it “is grateful to the Biden administration, the incoming Trump administration and other global partners for working together to secure the first stage of the agreement,” stated Ted Deutch, the group’s CEO. “We cannot wait to see the first hostages come home to their families, but the critical work to free every hostage—regardless of age, gender or nationality—must continue.”
“The international community must persist in its efforts to ensure that every hostage is reunited with their loved ones,” he added.
“The return of all of the hostages—kidnapped by Hamas and held in horrific conditions for 466 days and counting—and the reunification with their families is the top priority. We will not rest until all hostages are home,” stated B’nai B’rith International. “Hundreds of Palestinian criminals will be released from Israeli jails in exchange for the hostages.”
“We remain concerned that under the current terms, Hamas—with the assistance of its patron Iran—may be able to reorganize, regenerate and sow unrest in Israel and across the region,” B’nai B’rith added.
Morton Klein, national president of the Zionist Organization of America, told JNS that his group “strongly opposes” the hostage deal, “even though we are thrilled that a few live Jews are being released.”
“This deal is a terrible case of appeasement, and appeasement always fails,” he continued. “This isn’t ‘peace through strength,’ as envoy Steve Witkoff claims. It is heartbreaking and infuriating and frightening that Israel’s government is agreeing to this deal, and that the United States pressured them to do so.”
History suggests that many of the hundreds of prisoners that Israel will release as part of the deal “will return to killing Jews and will cause more future Jewish deaths than the number we’re saving now,” he added.
“What happened to President-elect Trump’s insistence that ‘there will be hell to pay’ if all the hostages are not back before Jan. 20? What happened to Netanyahu’s promise of ‘total victory’ and Hamas’s destruction?” posed Klein. “Is this what almost 1,000 young Jewish soldiers died for and lost limbs for in Gaza—as one soldier said to me in pain, ‘Is this why I lost both my legs?’”
“Didn’t Israel learn from having released 1,000 terrorists for Gilad Shalit and seeing dozens going back to terrorism and joining Hamas,” Klein told JNS. “This deal is a major appeasement mistake. Winston Churchill would not have approved.”
‘Relinquish its tyrannical rule of Gaza’
The Israeli-American Council thanked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden, Trump and the leaders’ teams.
“Hamas is a ruthless terrorist organization bent on genocide against the Jewish people. Its acts of barbarous savagery on Oct. 7, 2023, are crimes against humanity of the most shocking sort, and each of the 467 days since, during which Hamas has held—and continues to hold—innocent people hostage, is a war crime,” the IAC stated. “Hamas must release all remaining captives at once and relinquish its tyrannical rule of Gaza.”
“Israel retains the inalienable right to eliminate the genocidal threats facing the Jewish people, most urgently from the Islamic Republic of Iran and its proxies in Gaza, Lebanon and Yemen,” it added.
The Anti-Defamation League stated that it is “deeply appreciative to all those involved in helping this agreement come to fruition, including President Biden and President-elect Trump, who have long committed to ensure the release of the hostages.”
“We call on the incoming Trump administration, and relevant global and regional actors, to make certain that Hamas upholds its commitments and releases all hostages,” it said.
Roz Rothstein, co-founder and CEO StandWithUs, said that “this is a moment we’ve all been praying and working for. This is a time that could ease the pain of suffering inflicted by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, and that has continued for more than a year and a half. However, given Hamas’s history of violating agreements and undermining past ceasefires, we remain vigilant in following the developments and hopeful that Hamas will adhere to the agreement.”
The Rabbinical Assembly thanked Netanyahu, Biden and his diplomatic team, as well as Trump and his staff, “for bringing these negotiations to fruition in recent days and for their recognition of the moral imperative to save lives and redeem hostages.”
It said: “May we soon experience these comforting words from Jeremiah: ‘And there is hope for your future—declares God: Your children shall return to their country.’” (Jeremiah 31:17)
“Be not dismayed O’ Israel, I will deliver you from far away, your folk from the land of captivity, and Jacob again shall have calm and quiet, with no one to trouble them.’” (Jeremiah 46:27)
‘Fully disarmed and dismantled’
Both the Republican Jewish Coalition and Democratic Majority for Israel praised the deal, with the Republican group praising Trump and the Democratic one lauding Biden.
“The excruciatingly difficult calculations for Israel around getting the hostages back, releasing terrorist prisoners and other potential details of a ceasefire agreement are matters best left to the Israeli government,” the RJC stated. “We trust that the government of Israel has done everything possible to ensure the safety and security of the Jewish state and its people, in keeping with its values.”
“President Trump’s pronouncement that there would be ‘hell to pay’ if a deal was not reached for a release of the hostages before he took office on Jan. 20 clearly had a significant impact on closing the gaps to reach this deal,” the RJC said.
Mark Mellman, president and CEO of Democratic Majority for Israel, called the deal a “breakthrough agreement.”
“This breakthrough agreement achieved through negotiations between Israel and Hamas and brokered by Egypt, Qatar and the United States, marks an essential step toward alleviating the immense suffering of those taken captive 15 months ago, their families and the civilians caught in this tragic conflict,” Mellman said.
“While we are relieved and comforted by the plan to release hostages and end hostilities, our work is not finished. Hamas must release any remaining captives, it must be fully disarmed and dismantled and its tyrannical rule over Gaza must end,” he added. “In this moment of cautious optimism, we are reminded of the power of determined, principled leadership and remaining united with our democratic allies.”
Izzy Salant
Source: https://www.jns.org/mixed-responses-from-american-jewish-groups-to-hostage-deal/
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