It’s Time to Put The Blame Where It Belongs

by Farley Weiss, Chairman

1/16/2025, 6:34:25 PM

Immediately after it became known that Hamas took 251 hostages in the course of their terrorist assault in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, the United States called for their unconditional release. In November, Israel agreed to a deal with Hamas in which more than 100 hostages were released in a three-to-one exchange for terrorists who had committed terrible crimes, but not murder.

The hostage releases and one-week ceasefire ended when Hamas failed to provide the names of 10 hostages who would be released, but instead gave Israel the names of three hostages and said it would provide the bodies of seven dead hostages. Israel rejected the changed offer, partly because it knew that some of those listed as dead were actually alive, including Noa Argamani, who was eventually rescued by Israel.

As of now, Hamas still holds nearly 100 hostages, including two young children, and continues to launch missiles at Israel. And yet, the world wants Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israel Defense Forces to stop their activity to root out terror.

What an absurdity. Under international law, Israel has the right—and an obligation—to do what it can militarily to stop the missile attacks on its territory. Further, Israel has a moral and legal right to do whatever it can militarily to rescue the hostages.

Hamas could have ended the war in Gaza at any time by releasing all the remaining hostages and surrendering. Where is the international outcry or demands from the Biden administration for Hamas to release all the hostages and surrender? Those who act like they are representing both sides in calling for the war to end and the hostages to be released make no sense as the war cannot end until after all the hostages are released.

Some, like Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, have called for Netanyahu’s removal because they opposed how he has conducted this war. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and other leading members of the Democratic Party have also called for Netanyahu’s ouster, as it has become fashionable in some circles to say you support Israel, but not its democratically elected leader.

It has become increasingly clear what an extraordinary job Netanyahu has done in navigating this multifront war with the IDF crushing Hamas and killing its main leaders; devastating Hezbollah through its pager attacks and killing its leaders; and destroying the Syrian Air Force and Navy and weapons depots. What is missing are apologies from his critics, none of whom could even give a cogent alternative strategy to win the war.

The Biden administration recently tried to take credit for Netanyahu’s success against Hezbollah by claiming that the terror group’s crushing losses were because they failed to heed Washington’s calls to stop attacking Israel. The absurdity of this claim is even more apparent considering that the Biden administration withheld intelligence about Hezbollah because it was opposed to Israel sending ground troops into Lebanon. This, despite the ongoing missile fire aimed at the Jewish state by Hezbollah since Oct. 8, 2023, led to Israel evacuating some 60,000 residents from the northern part of its country for more than a year.  The Biden administration even withheld from Israel tractors to help Israel destroy Hezbollah mines and Apache helicopters that would have helped Israel in their attacks on Hezbollah.

Washington had previously demanded that Israeli troops not enter Rafah in the Gaza Strip. Israel, you may recall, did not acquiesce, entering Rafah where the IDF was able to rescue several hostages alive and kill Hamas leader and Oct. 7 mastermind Yayha Sinwar. Nearly 50 Republican senators wrote a letter to the Biden administration listing the massive amounts of weapons Congress approved to go to Israel that the administration was withholding because Israel went into Rafah.

Israel’s success in this war has been because of Netanyahu’s perseverance and ability to withstand the pressures of the Biden administration, taking the actions that he and the Israeli leadership believed were crucial to securing the Jewish homeland.

If, as it is looking more and more likely, there is a hostage deal, it will most likely be due to the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump on Jan. 20 and his insistence that there will be “hell to pay” if Hamas does not release the hostages, putting the onus for the war where it rightly belongs—on Hamas.

Trump also made it clear that he wants Israel to win the war against Hamas, which is something the Biden administration has refused to state. Trump understands that for there to be peace in the future, Hamas needs to be defeated. Also, he has promised to provide Israel with the weapons that the Biden administration has withheld.

The incoming change in policy by the Trump administration will likely lead to a much better chance for all of the hostages to be released, and for Israel to win this war and be able to live in peace.