'If we leave Philadephi, we can forget about the hostages. They will be smuggled out through Rafah Crossing and we will never know where they are.'

 

IDF combat soldier Oded Harush explains why it is important for the IDF to keep control over the Philadelphi Corridor and appealed to those who accuse the opponents of the deal as if they are abandoning the hostages.

"This is more than the debate about the Philadelphi Corridor. This is offending us as reservists," Harosh said in an interview with Channel 14 News.

"When I see that the slogan is 'either a deal or abandoning the hostages,’ they make it seem as if there are only two options. If I oppose the deal, does that means I am abandoning the hostages? I have been fighting for nine months in Jabaliya, in Khan Yunis, in Rafah. I was injured in Khan Yunis and went back there after I recovered. I gave nine months to rescue hostages. Does it look like I am abandoning them? Why can’t I support maintaining control over the Philadelphi Corridor, without being accused of abandoning the hostages?"

He calls on the heads of the campaign: “I think us reservists deserve to be treated with a bit more sensitivity. You are not more moral than us. You are not the only ones with slogans. You are not the only moral ones. You are not more moral than us. We, who fought and risked our lives, are probably more moral than you. Just because I disagree with a hostage deal, does not mean that I am not moral.”

On the importance of maintaining control over the Philadelphi Corridor, Harush explained: "Hamas is against us staying in the Corridor, but Egypt is as well. Why? Why should they care? We are doing the work for them.”

He added in response to those who claim that it will be possible to return to the Corridor at any time and mentioned the Disengagement Plan and kidnapping of Gilad Shalit. "Ten months after they promised us that if we left Gush Katif and one bullet came out of there, we would flatten Gaza, ten months later no bullet came out – but, one of our soldiers was kidnapped and we didn’t flatten Gaza. We didn't enter Gaza at all."

As a tank commander who took part in the battles in Rafah, Harush described what the soldiers found there: "What we saw with our own eyes, neither sensors nor Egyptians can replace. Without going into too much detail, the launchers we found under Egyptian posts and the tunnels that crossed from Rafah to Egypt, are not simple tunnels. They are freeway tunnels. Not only ammunition was brough through there, but vehicles as well."

Harush wondered what would happen if Israel withdrew from Philadelphia for a few days. What would the terrorists have time to do with the hostages: "We are leaving Rafah for a week. Think what they can do with our hostages in a week. We could be dealing with dozens of Ron Arad cases. We will never know what happened to them.”