National Security Minister’s Proposal Sparks Heated Debate Amidst Concerns for Hostages in Gaza
Written By Shafeek Ahmad, Published On 21-November-2023, Tuesday, 10:20 AM EST.
Tel Aviv, November 20 (CNN) – Intense exchanges unfolded during a committee meeting in the Israeli parliament on Monday as family members of hostages held in Gaza clashed with National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and other far-right government officials.
Ben-Gvir, a controversial figure advocating for the annexation of Palestinian territories, is pushing for legislation that would impose the death penalty for terrorists.
Relatives of Israelis detained in Gaza assemble outside the Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv on November 20. Photo by Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu/Getty Images.Hostage family members, holding pictures of their loved ones, voiced their frustrations. Gil Dickmann, a relative of a hostage, repeatedly called out, “Bring them home!”
Hen Avigdori, whose wife and daughter were taken on October 7, urged officials to focus on saving lives rather than discussing violence. She exclaimed, “Stop talking about killing Arabs. Talk about saving Jews. This is your job!”
Frustrated with the perceived lack of progress, family members accused Ben-Gvir of jeopardizing their loved ones by bringing attention to Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. They fear that the suggestion of executing Palestinian prisoners could hinder hostage release efforts or increase the risk of mistreatment in Gaza.
In response, Almog Cohen from the Jewish Power party, a colleague of Ben-Gvir, defended the proposed legislation, stating, “You don’t have a monopoly on pain. We also buried more than 50 friends.”
The committee meeting focused on discussing Ben-Gvir’s legislation, currently progressing through parliament. It faces several stages before potentially becoming law, with the possibility of withdrawal.
Later in Tel Aviv, another group of family members met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the war cabinet at the Defense Ministry. However, some left early, expressing disappointment at the lack of new information and the government’s apparent prioritization of defeating Hamas over securing the release of hostages.
Udi Goren, one of the family members, conveyed his disappointment, stating that there was no new information on a potential hostage release.
Editor’s Note: The proposed legislation remains a contentious issue, with concerns about its impact on ongoing hostage situations and diplomatic efforts.
Source: Israeli parliament
Also join our WhatsApp Channels For Latest Updates :- Click Here to Join Our WhatsApp Channel
Subscribe Our Google News Platform to get the Latest Updates.
Disclaimer:- This news article was written by the help of syndicated feed, Some of the content and drafting are made by the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI) ChatGPT.
About the author: Shafeek Ahmad is a freelance writer passionate about business and entrepreneurship. He covers a wide range of topics related to the corporate world and startups. You can find more of his work on Howtobeaspoonie.com.