Eli Goldschmidt, who served as a Knesset member for the Labor Party and One Israel from 1992-2001, called on the opponents of the current government to take stock and reflect on their part in Israel’s failure to reach a hostage deal with Hamas.

“We and our side are also to blame for the fact that the hostages haven’t yet returned home,” Goldschmidt said.

He then clarified that he does partially blame Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu for the fact that Hamas has not agreed to a deal but claimed that it’s only because of his right-wing partners Betzalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir. “First and foremost Bibi, Smotrich and of course, Sinwar are to blame for the fact that there is no hostage deal. But Bibi allied himself with Smotrich and Ben-Gvir because he couldn’t form a coalition in any other way because our side refused to sit with him in the same government. By the way, if we would have, there would have been no judicial reform and there might not have been an October 7th.”

“The very difficult truth is that we hate Bibi more than we want the best interests of the hostages. If we wanted their best interests, we would need to show restraint and forbearance. I know it’s difficult because we truly hate Bibi – but we would make the effort to save the lives of innocent people being held captive by Hamas.

“I don’t know if there’s still a chance to change the matter [of forming a unity government] and I also think that Lapid and Gantz aren’t courageous enough to bring up the idea for fear that their base will have their heads.”

“The matter causes me great angst because our side is not free of sin either. In another month and half, it will be Yom Kippur. I feel like we, our side, need to do a cheshbon nefesh.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)