Calling for the release of hostages is not only a leftist position - editor's notes

• Published date: 21 April 2024
• Author: ZVIKA KLEIN
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

A unity rally for the return of the abducted was held last evening in Hostage Square, in front of the Tel Aviv Museum of Art and near IDF headquarters. Chief Rabbi of Israel David Lau, along with other speakers, including relatives of captives and victims, addressed the gathering. They expressed unity despite differences and urgently called for the release of all hostages

My friend was initially surprised that his mother would go to a demonstration for the release of the hostages, for the simple reason that he didn't think she would like to participate in what he saw as a political event – but later realized that he was judging this movement from a skewed perspective he has obtained over the past six months.

Most Israelis agree that the hostages should be released from the hands of the deadly Hamas. Still, the movement, at least those who have been the loudest, has become very similar to those who demonstrated against the judicial reforms and this government until October 7.

There are several similarities: The demonstrations occurred in the same area the pre-October 7 demonstrations against the government took place; some activists have recently begun to illegally block streets, highways, and junctions, as have the anti-judicial reform members; they use the Hebrew word ahshav! (now!) while yelling, precisely the same way the demonstrators against the government did for the year before the Hamas massacre (they also used the word busha, or ashamed) and they use the same tone and intonation.

ADDITIONALLY, one of the leaders of the movement for releasing the hostages was Ronen Tzur, a strategist and owner of one of Israel's leading PR agencies. In 2023, he was prominently involved in the campaign against judicial reform, occasionally speaking at demonstrations where he likened the government's actions to those of Nazi Germany.

Keeping the protests apolitical

In a recent interview with The Jerusalem Post's Tovah Lazaroff and Eliav Breuer, Tzur, who quit his voluntary role in the campaign, emphasized his efforts to keep the campaign apolitical and maintain neutrality.

He said he counseled the families to avoid political statements in their speeches and advocated for rallies to be held at Hostage Square rather than on Kaplan Street in Tel Aviv, which had been a focal point for anti-government protests that year.

In the interview, Tzur accused the government of attempting to discredit the forum by portraying it as a politically motivated group intent on ousting...