Bibi - Make the Last Deal or Make No Deal

Way back in my college years, I inadvertently had a conversation with the #1 KGB agent in the Russian Consulate in New York. It was inadvertent because I was under the naive and mistaken impression that he was the Senior Russian diplomat he claimed to be. Immediately, I understood that nothing was to be gained by demanding he agree to release all of the Soviet Jews who wanted to be free. That the Soviet Union would continue to deny the rights of millions of Jews and lie to keep them imprisoned.

So I decided on a different approach - one that focused on one man. I asked the diplomat to check into the status of this ONE man. I promised the diplomat that the man was not a criminal. All he wanted was to be free.

I said the man's name several times and demanded a response. None was offered, but for that moment, the entirety of Russian Jewry was represented in the minds of the audience by the one innocent man sitting in a far off land whose only crime was his religion and his wish to be free. 

Today, I offer the name of one man, Eviatar David. Today, he is the symbol of our remaining hostages and of October 7 itself. The Gaza would continue to deny the rights of these 50 people, 20 living (hopefully) and 30 dead (please God, not more), is insanity. Nothing will be gained for Gaza. Once again, they have made a tactical error.

The image failed in its mission to gain them support. How they thought it would is beyond my comprehension. Instead, throughout the Jewish world, the image of Jews being force by Nazis to dig their own graves was resurrected. If humanly possible, Eviatar's condition is even worse than that of the Jews awaiting their deaths in Nazi concentration camps.

His family says Eviatar is broken, at most, a few days left to his life unless he is released. 

President Trump was, it has been reported, moved to tears and anger at the sight of Eviatar's suffering. 

What did they think a normal human being would think when faced with the picture of Eviatar digging his own grave?

When they see his bones so clearly? It brings new meaning to the concept of a person being only "skin and bones."

This is the reality for Israel's hostages - people who did nothing but go to a party to dance; young people who were sleeping and pulled from their beds. No human being deserves to be dehumanized, to be forced to dig their own graves. Eviatar has a family. Imagine what they feel when they see this picture and remember their son, their brother. 

Israel and Trump must demand the immediate, unconditional release of Eviatar on the grounds that he has clearly been abused and starved. This is a war crime...

And when Hamas refuses and begins to speak of releasing hundreds to get a few, to surrender to bring home some, Israel has to answer back strongly. All or none. Everyone or no one. 

Everyone means this war can end...after 22 months.

No one released now means this is the end...the end of Hamas. It is time for the world to get angry. For the world to see that Israel did nothing to bring the disaster of the last 22 months raining down on the people of Gaza. One thing alone caused the tragedy on October 7 and on every day since - Islamic fundamentalism, Islamic hate.

It's time to end this absurdity. It's time to end Hamas. In recent days, the US, Qatar and Egypt have pressured Hamas to accept the deal they rejected weeks ago. They are now expecting Israel to agree.

Israel has to say no. The offer is 10 living hostages for 200 terrorists and murderers, 18 murdered hostages in return for dozens more dead terrorists.

It's important for Israel to understand. This is the last deal there will be. There will be no other. Hamas will never release the last 10 hostages...the only option now is to keep the military pressure on until they agree to release all 20. Eviatar must be released now. Alon must be released now. They've come to the end of their ability to cope. They are broken, beaten, starved, dehumanized, humiliated.

All that was done to them must be done to Hamas. And as horrible as the thought is, we must demand 20...otherwise, we are sacrificing 10.

The pressure is on from all those countries. Israel has to say - we accepted and they rejected. Now we finish this. You want us to stop - all we ask is one thing...let our people go. Now.