Religious Zionist Rabbis Oppose Partial Hostage Deal: ‘Harms War’s Main Goal- Defeating Hamas’

 

 In the midst of the advanced negotiations for a hostage deal with Hamas, several prominent rabbis from the Religious Zionist community have published a firm and uncompromising public declaration opposing the emerging deal.

In their letter, the rabbis warn that a partial deal undermines the goals of the war, endangers Israel’s security, and could worsen the situation of the hostages not included in the agreement.

The letter, titled “Public Declaration,” includes several points and reasons for opposing the proposed deal:

A. We, the rabbis, stand with the families of the hostages, the families of the murdered, and, lehavdil, with the soldiers — heroic families who carry on their shoulders the true spirit of the nation. We call for the return of the hostages through the defeat of the enemy.

B. The partial deal currently being negotiated is a dangerous one. It undermines, first and foremost, the main goal of the war, which is victory, and also harms the people of Israel and its unity.

C. A partial deal also harms and endangers the hostages who will not be released as part of it and who may remain in captivity for a very long time. The danger to the lives of those remaining hostages could grow.

D. The deal undermines Israel’s security. Hamas terrorists will exploit the pause to rebuild their strength and morale, and return to attacking our soldiers. They will view it as an Israeli surrender.

E. Halting the war and withdrawing from the area will, God forbid, cause many casualties among our soldiers.

F. It is our duty to defeat the enemy completely — to destroy its communities and expel all of its leaders from our land entirely. When Hamas is preoccupied with its survival, it will surrender. Only then can life in our land return to a healthy and whole path.

The letter is meant to serve as a call of responsibility from spiritual leadership to public officials — a reminder that a partial deal is not merely a tactical mistake, but a real danger to the future of the war, the state’s security, and our mutual responsibility toward the hostages and the soldiers.

The letter is signed by:

Rabbi Dov Lior, Rabbi Yaakov Ariel, Rabbi Eitan Eisman, Rabbi Elyakim Levanon, Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, Rabbi Yosef Artziel, Rabbi Moshe Gantz, Rabbi David Hai HaCohen, Rabbi Uri Cohen, Rabbi Michael Hershkovitz, Rabbi David Dudkevitch, Rabbi David Fendel, Rabbi Orel Spaz, Rabbi Netanel Yosifon, and Rabbi Baruch Wieder.

The letter echoes sentiments expressed both by Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich and Public Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who both oppose partial agreements and demand that Israel push Hamas until it surrenders and leaves the Gaza strip.