I love music, especially when it connects with politics. So here’s a song from the 1980s, my childhood years, that was controversial and has resurfaced several times. Attached is the video produced by the Families of the Kidnapped campaign calling for the return of all captives.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aIyZnFbOu0]
Ehud Manor wrote this song after Yardena Arazi, the singer, returned from a performance for soldiers in the First Lebanon War (1982-2000) and shared her feelings about that performance. The song quickly became a subject of controversy, advocating for withdrawal from Lebanon and the return of our soldiers home, aligning with the liberal side of Israel’s political map. It gained relevance again with Gilad Shalit’s kidnapping (imprisoned from June 2006 until October 2010) and the hostage crisis following the events of October 7, 2023.
Every person and society has sensitive and vulnerable spots. For Israeli society, the issue of captives and hostages held by the enemy is a significant one, rooted in Jewish heritage, the narrative of unity upon which Israel was founded, or the feeling that it could be any one of our sons or daughters. Over the years, Israel has conducted many prisoner exchanges, often trading one Israeli captive for dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of Arab prisoners. The deal for Gilad Shalit’s return, in which Israel released 1,027 prisoners, sparked much debate: the joy of returning Israeli citizens from enemy captivity versus the pain of releasing terrorists, which hurts the victims’ families and carries a future cost in Israeli lives due to terror attacks.
At the heart of these exchanges is the “unwritten contract” between the State of Israel and its parents: to send their most precious (their children) to defend the homeland and its citizens, with the state promising to do everything to bring them back (alive, dead, or even just a personal item). This unwritten contract has existed since the state’s founding and continues. As a father to Carmel (born 2021), why would I send my ginger Carmel to the army if the state won’t do everything to bring her back to me? The strength of a nation is not just in its military or security forces but in identifying its citizens with the state and their willingness to fight for it.
The debate is transparent: saving lives now from enemy captivity versus the future cost of Israeli lives. God, I’m glad I don’t have to make these decisions.
“And thy children shall return to their border”, Jeremiah 31:16
In the pictures below: Orly and Carmel at a demonstration for the ginger children Ariel and Kfir Bibas.
The Bibas family’s picture is captured: mother Shiri, children Kfir (one-year-old), and Ariel (four years old).
#BringThamHome
Thank you, Hilik, for your well educated, kind heart and reasonableness. We learned a lot from you in our August 2023 tour of Israel. We look forward to continue to hear your voice and point of view on this blog.
Dear Pat, Mike and Addie,
Thank you. Great to hear from you. Addie if you want do a Zoom call with your grandparents, I would love it.
Warm regards, Hilik