Reasonable minds can differ about whether or not to end the war. Reasonable minds can disagree about what we should do next to try to get the hostages back before they die of intentional starvation. Reasonable minds can differ as to whether Hamas can really be destroyed. About whether to permanently reoccupy parts of Gaza. About whether to build more settlements in Judea and Samaria. About whether to use a carrot or a stick to get the Haredim to join the army. About what to when the judicial reform issue comes roaring back (which is likely). About whether there will ever, ever be peace.
Reasonable minds can fairly disagree about a lot of things here. And they do.
But no, reasonable minds cannot disagree about what is the right thing to do — actually, not the “right” thing, but the most basic, human thing to do — when six hostages who are citizens of the country of which you are the government are found murdered in cold blood in a Hamas tunnel.
Perhaps the deepest tragedy of the ethos that this government has spread over Israel is pointed out by one of Israel’s most eloquent voices — Rachel Goldberg-Polin.
Today, as the first yahrzeit of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, z’l, is just hours away, hearing Rachel’s voice feels like the most appropriate way of marking this terribly somber moment.
The video above (the full version appears below) appeared on the Facebook page of a group known as Democracy Now.
Below is the video in full.
On this horrible one year anniversary, there’s really nothing else to say.
Except יהי זכרו ברוך, may Hersh z”l’s memory, along with the memory of all six of the beautiful souls who were found murdered in cold blood in that Hamas tunnel, be an everlasting blessing.
And … may we as a society learn to be much, much better.
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